World-famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright left his mark across the Bay Area, from the arched arcades of Marin's civic center to the Honeycomb House in Stanford. But it's one of his smaller designs — a Usonian dream house nestled in a quiet cul-de-sac in Orinda — that's garning the latest buzz.
The Bueler House, built in 1948 for inventor Maynard Buehler and his wife, Katherine, was recently haralded by Vogue magazine as a premiere location for wedding receptions. It is one of only five structures featured in the magazine's list of architectural wonders, and the only one from Northern California.
Couples hoping to rent out the home should be prepared to cough up the cash: The house's owner, Piedmont resident Gerald Shmavonian, is charging anywhere between $3,000 to $8,000 per event. (That income should soften the blow dealt to Shmavonian a little over a year ago, when Contra Costa County's board of supervisors rejected his bid for a $30,000-a-year property tax break.)
The 4,300-square-foot house features a gold-leaf ceiling in the living and dining rooms, a Japanese Tea House in the backyard and some original furniture created by Wright himself, including the giant built-in sofa.
Take a peak at the home and its 3-acre grounds in the video above.
Gillian Edevane covers Contra Costa County for NBC Bay Area. Contact her at Gillian.Edevane@NBCuni.com.
