Frank W. Thomas House: arched entry

Widely acknowledged as Wright's first full-fledged Prairie Style home built in Oak Park, in the Frank W. Thomas House, we finally see the culmination of over a decade's worth of experimentation and honing. All of the hallmarks of the Prairie aesthetic are presented here in an organic, cohesive form that is pleasing to the eye. The arched entry at the centre is not the front door, but rather leads into a tiny courtyard where access to the front door is gained after turning left and climbing a stairway.

There are three floors in the home, with the partially submerged ground (or basement) floor originally used as servants' quarters. The family's living quarters encompass the upper two floors (below), with all four bedrooms being arranged in a line on the top floor - design characteristics that would re-surface in many of Wright's later Usonian designs.

View the plans of the main floor and the bedroom floor of the building.