Meyer May House: Difference between revisions
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Rooms in the restored May House are furnished with a mixture of original pieces, reproductions of original pieces, and compatible Arts and Crafts style items from the period. One piece original to the home is the living room sofa, which was still in the home at the time of restoration, though it was heavily upholstered over and almost discarded. The dining room chairs, also original, were purchased from a descendant of the family living in the Grand Rapids area. |
Rooms in the restored May House are furnished with a mixture of original pieces, reproductions of original pieces, and compatible Arts and Crafts style items from the period. One piece original to the home is the living room sofa, which was still in the home at the time of restoration, though it was heavily upholstered over and almost discarded. The dining room chairs, also original, were purchased from a descendant of the family living in the Grand Rapids area. |
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For the restoration a steel sub-structure was added in hidden areas that supports the roof. The company that bankrolled the restoration is known for their comical response to questions about the cost of the restorations: "We had an unlimited budget and we exceeded it." |
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The Meyer May House was placed on the Michigan State Register of Historic Sites in 1986 and is a contributing building to the [[Heritage Hill Historic District]]. The district was listed in 1971 on both the [[National Register of Historic Places]] and the Michigan State Register of Historic Sites, and was protected by the City of Grand Rapids' historic preservation ordinance in 1973. |
The Meyer May House was placed on the Michigan State Register of Historic Sites in 1986 and is a contributing building to the [[Heritage Hill Historic District]]. The district was listed in 1971 on both the [[National Register of Historic Places]] and the Michigan State Register of Historic Sites, and was protected by the City of Grand Rapids' historic preservation ordinance in 1973. |
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Revision as of 01:52, 24 August 2009
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (February 2008) |
Designed by America's most famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright, the Meyer May House was commissioned in 1908 by Meyer S. May, a prominent Grand Rapids, Michigan clothier and his wife Sophie Amberg. The house is located at 450 Madison Avenue, S.E. in the Heritage Hill neighborhood east of downtown Grand Rapids. As an example of Wright's now-famous Prairie style of architecture, the house stands apart from the typical Victorian and classical revival houses of the neighborhood. It was restored to its original concept by Steelcase and opened for visitor tours in 1987.
Features of the house include Wright's typical art glass windows and skylights, wood grills to hide the radiators, irridescent strips of tile placed in the horizontal grout lines of both brick fireplaces, and a pastel mural of Hollyhocks which wraps around a dividing wall between the living room and dining room. This mural was painted over during the years of alterations imposed on the house. It was rediscovered during the restoration and has now been restored.
Before restoration began, extensive research was conducted to determine the original building design. Interviews were held with relatives, neighbors and friends of the May family, Wright scholars, past building occupants, historians, and local residents. Documents about Frank Lloyd Wright were also studied to pinpoint information on the Meyer May House and Wright's Prairie style of architecture.
Historic photos, drawings, and documents were found in public institutions and private collections. These proved to be the most valuable tools in reconstructing the history of the actual structure and its contents and provided the framework for the restoration, which was completed in the fall of 1987.
Everything in the house works together to create a unified and harmonious whole. Wright carefully sited the house to allow maximum southern exposure for the living room windows and skylights and to create a spacious yard for the perennial gardens. Each red-tiled terrace, each section of art glass, each splash of color was artfully designed and placed to enhance the interior and to draw nature into the house. The geomitacal and proportional math used in this building make it beautiful.
Rooms in the restored May House are furnished with a mixture of original pieces, reproductions of original pieces, and compatible Arts and Crafts style items from the period. One piece original to the home is the living room sofa, which was still in the home at the time of restoration, though it was heavily upholstered over and almost discarded. The dining room chairs, also original, were purchased from a descendant of the family living in the Grand Rapids area.
The Meyer May House was placed on the Michigan State Register of Historic Sites in 1986 and is a contributing building to the Heritage Hill Historic District. The district was listed in 1971 on both the National Register of Historic Places and the Michigan State Register of Historic Sites, and was protected by the City of Grand Rapids' historic preservation ordinance in 1973.
Wright's other Grand Rapids work
The David M. Amberg House, near the Meyer May House at 505 College Avenue, S.E., was originally commissioned by the parents of Sophie May in 1910. The house is not a complete Wright design as he left the country during its construction following his scandalous affair with Mamah Borthwick Cheney, the wife of Wright's client and neighbor Edwin Cheney. The Amberg house was finished under the supervision of Wright associates Marion Mahony Griffin and her husband Walter Burley Griffin.
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