The Home Page | Chicago Bungalows, Frank’s Place, and Ojai Holiday Homes

This edition of The Home Page was originally emailed to subscribers on November 10, 2024. To receive Sarah Sinclair’s real estate newsletter in your inbox each Sunday, sign up at independent.com/newsletter

I was in Chicago this week visiting my son and daughter-in-law, who recently bought what I have learned is a piece of Chicago history. Their new home is an iconic Chicago Bungalow in the Northwest neighborhood of Montclare. Apparently there are over 80,000 of these brick bungalows, built between 1910 and 1930, laid out in arcs around the city known as bungalow belts. I won’t tell you how much they paid for their three bedroom, two bath, one-and-a-half story with basement home — it would make you cry by Santa Barbara standards — but they are very happy, which makes me very happy.

In addition to strolling around admiring their new neighborhood, we also spent an afternoon touring Frank Lloyd Wright’s home and studio in Oak Park. The house is where Wright and his wife raised six children, and where Wright began his career as “the greatest American architect of all time.”

Our tour was led by Amelia, a docent with a history background who relayed interesting facts and stories. I enjoyed imagining the Wrights’ lifestyle: Creating their home and raising their family, while Wright was also developing his professional practice. Here, Amelia points out the light in the octagonal library in the studio, a space where Wright met with clients to review plans:

The furniture, art glass, and views were all enchanting. My favorite details were the windows, some more decorative than others, and all thoughtfully placed.

This one is in the kids’ vast playroom on the second floor. It’s deeply recessed to create a window seat or cubby, and lets in the bright outdoors even on a cloudy Chicago day.

For a tour closer to home that’s sure to put you in the holiday spirit, consider taking a drive to Ojai next weekend for the Ojai Holiday Home Tour and Marketplace. The tour showcases four homes in the Ojai Valley, from a collector’s cottage to an orchard estate, with a free shuttle running between. There’s also a holiday marketplace in Libbey Park, with Santa Claus and musical entertainment. Happening next Saturday and Sunday November 16 and 17 from 10a.m.-4p.m., the tour is a fundraiser for the Ojai Music Festival, and tickets are only $45; a donation that is sure to make your heart grow three sizes.

Here’s this week’s issue front and back. However you spend your day today, I hope you find something that brings you joy. Happy Sunday, friends!