A Visual Tour Through Frank Lloyd Wright’s First LA House – Restored

Considered to be the germination of what later became “California Modernism,” the Hollyhock House was the first house designed in Los Angeles by Frank Llyod Wright in the 1920’s for oil heiress Aline Barnsdall. Barsndall never moved into it however, and eventually donated the house and its surrounding 12 acres to the city of Los Angeles where it fell into disrepair for decades. Finally, it’s been restored…   

The entire house (which is a rather modest term for this lair) is inspired by the recurrent image of the hollyhock, Barnsdall’s favorite flower.  The dining room now features original furniture with chair backs’ sporting spines like hollyhocks, and perhaps the most striking feature of the entire house (although there are many) is the “showstopping hearth backed in an abstract, Hollyhock-themed bas relief, with a detailed skylight above and a pool below.” The pool unfortunately isn’t filled with water at the moment, out of an effort at preservation. 

The house was recently nominated to the Unesco World Heritage List by the US Department of the Interior. Check out all the photos with more history here.