Houston architecture lovers who have coveted the city’s only Frank Lloyd home are out of luck. The home, known as the William Thaxton House, has quietly sold for $2.7 million in the Spring Branch/Bunker Hill area.
The highly coveted and admired home originally went on the market in August with a listing price of $3.1 million. Compass agent Bill Dodson represented the new, unnamed buyers.
Nestled in Bunker Hill Villages, the home at 12020 Tall Oaks St. is part of the Wright’s Usonian homes series. The iconic architect designed these homes, widely known for their open plans, specifically for families looking for large gathering spaces.
Not unlike their earlier Prairie Style cousins, constructed mostly at the turn of the last century, Usonian homes also showcased a fireplace as a focal point; 12020 Tall Oaks Street has two.
Sitting on a 51,727-square-foot (1.9 acres) gated lot,12020 Tall Oaks St. sprawls across more than 8,000 square feet, nestled into its outdoor space as though it were grown from the ground.
That signature marrying of a home to the natural space around it creates a harmony with nature — a hallmark of Wright’s work.
Built in 1955 for William Thaxton, a Houston insurance executive, the home underwent renovations over the last half century, including an addition to the home in 1995. Thaxton’s home emphasizes exquisite design, flooded with natural light. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlook a central courtyard with a sunken pool, its angles dovetailing to those of the house.
A primary bedroom has two entrances that open to the courtyard. Two fireplaces sit in the spaces between rooms, smartly bringing them together. Meanwhile, a wide pool anchors the backyard, which serves a compound. Myriad windows line the exterior, giving an outside-in feel for indoor dwellers and outdoor loungers.
This Wright home is a significant piece of Texas architecture — Frank Lloyd Wright only built two other homes in Texas, in Dallas and Amarillo.
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Holly Beretto contributed to this article.
A view of the pool.
