This Rental Company Exclusively Lists Architectural Masterpieces

First stop: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Usonian ideal

August 4, 2017 9:00 am

When it comes to summer getaways — and your fast-approaching autumn excursions — there’s one truth:

Plans matter.

That’s why there’s the aptly named Plans Matter, a new marketplace for rentals that exclusively curates “architecturally significant” homes.

At the top of the list: a captivating Frank Lloyd Wright less than four hours away that you can book as early as next weekend.

Just be quick about it.

Plans Matter 1 (3 images)

But should your architectural curiosities transcend the Chicago cornerstone, the co-founders behind Plans Matter, Connie Lindor and Scott Muellner, have collected 46 rentals (and growing) spanning aesthetics and locations.

Like: Olson Kundig’s Rolling Huts in a Washingtonian river valley. The Black Shed at the foot of Macleod’s Table on the Isle of Skye. The impossible Pole House on the Australian coast.

The beauty of Plans Matter is that they choose curation over remuneration. Meaning, while they directly manage some of the properties, others are simply linked to on hosting sites like Airbnb. Our favorite of the latter? Frank Lloyd Wright’s Kinney House in Lancaster, Wisconsin.

Kinney House (3 images)

Just shy of four hours from Chicago and booking for less than $400 a night, this parallelogrammatic home is a masterclass in heartfelt design.

According to the listing, Margaret Kinney commissioned the house after working at Taliesin as an assistant to Wright’s sister. To lower costs, her husband Patrick “acted as the contractor and took on some of the labor himself — going so far as to dynamite, cut, load and deliver limestone to the site in his 1939 Chevy truck before work most mornings.” A mere pretty face this home is not.

Another nugget for Lloyd Wright enthusiasts: it’s a shining example of the architect’s Usonian style, which entailed single-floor middle-class homes culled from local materials. For your vacation purposes, this includes three bedrooms, with a suggested maximum occupancy of five.

But a simple getaway with you and the lady is probably the way to go.

Kinney House 2 (3 images)

So what is there to do in, um, Lancaster? Some of the properties include a note from the host detailing a few secrets and suggestions for activities. At Kinney House, that includes posting up in a living room that offers views for 30 miles (great for watching storms roll in) and visiting Carr Valley Cheese and Weber Meats for provisions.

In true Airbnb fashion, a host will come by to greet you towards the beginning of your stay. This may be someone from Plans Matter or, if you’re lucky, one of the Kinneys — the home has stayed in the family.

Should the Kinney House be booked for your desired weekend, fear not. Plans Matter lists six of Wright’s other properties on their website.

And if you want to turn the trip into a pilgrimage, the Frank Lloyd Wright Trail is open for business.

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