Purcell-Cutts House

During my trip to Minnesota and Wisconsin in the summer of 2000 I visited the Purcell-Cutts House. Although this is not a Frank Lloyd Wright designed building, it is an excellent example of the "prairie style" house like the ones FLW designed up until about 1915. This particular house was designed by William Gray Purcell and George Grant Elmslie. Elmslie was Louis Sullivan's chief draftsman for almost 20 years.

The Purcell-Cutts House is near Lake of the Isles in Minneapolis and it provides an excellent opportunity to see a prairie house up close. Highly recommended. You can find out more about visiting the Purcell-Cutts house at: www.artsmia.org/cutts.html.

This is a pool located in front of the living room.
The entrance to the house is off to the right side of this photograph.

This is the view from the street.

The window pattern in the Purcell-Cutts House reminds me of the pattern that Wright used in the Robie House. For one of my first art glass pieces (a hobby) I recreated a small portion of a Robie House window for my father's birthday gift.

If you look closely you'll see why these are called the
"Peek-a-Boo" windows (sidelights actually).

Just one of many windows in the house.

This is the living room. The hearth and entryway are directly to the left and a built-in
desk/study area is off to the right. As you can imagine it looks much better in person.
A photograph is a poor imitation (especially on the web!)

I've previously had questions about bathrooms in Wright houses.
From what I know, Mr. Wright considered bathrooms just functional rooms so I will have
to look and see if he put art glass windows in any of the bathrooms in his prairie homes.
Obviously Purcell and Elmslie did.....

This is the built-in desk/study area that is part of the great space of the living and dining room.
The dining room is off to the right and elevated above the living room.

I don't know the story about this oriental print.
Frank Lloyd Wright was a great collector of Japanese prints.
I wonder what the connection is here?

An interesting lamp in the living room.
I guess it would be classified as an Arts and Crafts style lamp?

Although it is not a glass mosaic as you would find in some of Wright's buildings,
it is a beautiful art piece located over the hearth.

The ornamentation clearly shows Sullivan's influence....