Frank Lloyd Wright’s final residential work, the Lykes House, has been up for sale since 2016, when it was offered at $3.6 million. But the property has lingered on the market, and even a series of price reductions that have brought the ask down to a very reasonable $2.65 million haven’t yet flushed a new owner out of the sagebrush. The current owner is hoping one will turn up at auction next week.
Why the difficulty in finding a buyer for this unique and architecturally significant house in an area with a healthy upscale real estate market? Well, the design is of course heavily stylized. The Lykes House’s intersecting circles—inside and out—make for a turnkey feel that’s quite cerebral.
Still, like all Wright’s designs, it balances its philosophical potency with an eminently charming appeal. The desert tones of the materials used to build the Lykes House set the home firmly in its landscape, so beige predominates. Standout details include an extravagant great room window seat, extensive built-ins, and contrasting tile floors.
The house extends to slightly less than 3,100 square feet. It is being sold fully furnished, and will go to auction with no reserve on October 16; the preview begins on the 11th.
