There are only a handful of Frank Lloyd Wright homes in the country that welcome overnight guests on a regular basis—and, surprisingly, none have been in Chicago. But that changes this week with the opening of Wright’s newly renovated Emil Bach House (7415 N. Sheridan Rd., 773-764-9851) in Rogers Park, now serving as a three-bedroom luxury vacation rental for stays and events beginning May 6.
Originally built by the iconic Chicago architect in 1915 as part of a series of cubic, geometric homes, the Prairie-style Bach House, now owned by Col. Jennifer Pritzker’s Tawani Enterprises, has completed a major restoration with Harboe Architects to bring back original elements of the house. These include updates to the compact, vertical interiors with built-in furnishings around Wright’s signature central fireplace, as well as reinforcements to the sharp exterior of yellow brick, redwood and cypress trim, and a flat, cantilevered roof.
Up to five guests can stay overnight at the Bach House, which offers three bedrooms and two bathrooms, one of which was formerly the maid’s quarters. The bedrooms are cozy, with a king-size bed in one room, a queen in another, and a daybed in a third room that also comes with partial lake view. The kitchen is tiny but functional, with cabinets recreated to match the original design. The real draw will likely be the central fireplace and surrounding inglenook—the heart of the house with straight lines, brick, and woods delivering full-on Wright atmosphere.
Bach House is on Sheridan Road a little more than a block from Fargo and Jarvis beaches, and near restaurants and bars like Towbar and Mayne Stage.
Book the house before June 1 and take advantage of a special promo rate of $750 a night; after that, rates will run $1,495 a night. (You’ll pay the same rates for the first four hours of events scheduled during these periods.)
For more on the renovated Emil Bach House, read about the restoration and take a photo tour.
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