Frank Lloyd Wright, building the Lovness studio, 1956

Frank Lloyd Wright's "Do-it-yourself couple" Don and Virginia Lovness begin construction of their dream home in 1956.

[@lonnielovness4589]

My parents built a second Wright home in 1975, an adapted design of the Peterson cottage in Wisconsin. We'll have a video about that soon!

[@TerryComo2010]

What a wonderful, and too short, video. Thank you for sharing this with the world!

[@torempilor]

Well this is a hidden gem on a Frank Lloyd Wright home! Will definitely check out the book!

[@npet6842]

This is a terrific story ! What a wonderful achievement and legacy of your family . Well done indeed .

[@richardgray8593]

Wow, I had no idea there was a do-it-yourself Wright home. Just ordered the book. Wonderful story.

[@77cns]

Enthralling - the images, narration, information. Thank you

[@waterbourne9282]

Great story of a couples team work to build a wonderful home. Thanks for the video.

[@Jessica-pq1rc]

This was fascinating! I live in an area where most of my neighbors essentially built their homes themselves and it's a very long process, anywhere from 2-5 years. But they've never built anything like this! I can't imagine the amount of dedication it must have taken for your parents to stick with FLW's detailed plans, down to the furniture. It's certainly a work of art! Thank you for sharing.

[@phyl1283]

Only if the Lovnesses were such excellent "builders" could such fantastic structures have been built. The "Mister" having the talent to layout and complete the majority of the original cottage structure and the "Missus's" will and ability to construct the massive stone fireplace along with the Architect''s ability to illustrate and note a set of plans that were easy to follow could these structures have come into existence within the budget with a little left to spare. Amazing. Just amazing.

[@stevenslater2669]

My parents paid $16,000 for a row house in Phila in 1953. In 1957 my twin brother & I had to drill holes about 16” apart thru the concrete floor of the basement in order to pour in chlordane termite killer. It took us a month of intense effort, first with star drills and 4 pound hand sledges, then with a small electric Jack hammer. I swore I’d never do that kind of work again. To see a husband & wife team build an entire Wright-designed home by hand - WOW!! I have an inkling of how hard they worked and I stand in awe.

[@kathowed]

FLW was my childhood hero, and this little video has made my heart flutter. Thank you.

[@tylerpaps4137]

What a great story and such a beautiful home. I am a huge fan of mid-century modern architecture and an even bigger fan of Frank Lloyd Wright. Thank you for sharing.

[@seymorestuff235]

Thank you for posting this! Great story and so well presented 😊

[@mikehenson819]

Wonderful story! I'm gonna find that book.

[@philipe7937]

Thank you for your story

[@vincemacek681]

Great work on your parents' part - I don't think I'd ever heard of some of FLW's clients literally building their own home. I'm really taken by that drawing of the angular cabin!

[@badapple65]

Great Story I’m saving to favorites for when I’m home from a trip. What dedication your family had/has.

[@ElSigmundo]

Great story and pictures. Very informative

[@predragmilic5299]

Yes a very beautiful story.. the world is beautiful when you tell it like it was.. ..people today should pay more respect to life and what the elders say about the real truth of life..

[@larryheiny5287]

Well done, a great story! I remember them well from their visits to Taliesin. My memory is they were always thought of as OFFICIAL Fellowship members.

[@kenwilliams4086]

Such a beautiful life story. This should be shown to all of the young people starting out in our country. It shows that you have to work hard to achieve for yourself. Equity is earned and not an entitlement. I am looking forward to reading your book. Thank you for sharing your story.

[@TammyWhitaker-io2vd]

Beautiful.

[@vauzz66]

Best short I’ve seen in years of watching KZbin on both construction and FLW. Thank you !!

[@lindamclennan8645]

Love this story & will get the book.I've toured the Wright-designed house in Florence,Alabama so I followed this building process with great interest.Great video

[@charlesbolton8471]

The Rosenbaum House is absolutely beautiful. I’m glad the Rosenbaum’s willed it to the city with the stipulation that it be turned into a museum.

[@TammyWhitaker-io2vd]

Beautiful. My husband of 27 years told me one of his parents home in Charleston, SC had been built from an Architect that studied under Frank Lloyd Wright.

[@Archie-bo2fy]

Not as many of us fortunate enough to have plans from FLWs drawing board, but during the 50s many of my friends and classmates families built their own homes.... many 'knock-offs' of Wright's designs..flat roofs and casement windows. Most of them still stand....more a testiment to the building materials of the day such as real metals in the nails and lumber that would be considered and charged as furniture grade timber today.... The families helped each other and the satisfaction in creating your own homes was immensely satisfying to all. Great days for growing up in.

[@JohnnyArtPavlou]

Nice. Tremendous amount of history and one tidy little package.

[@DugEphresh]

God Bless you !

[@jenniferlee7167]

I am just now viewing this video and I am in awe of the dedication and work your parents, and the whole family put into this lovely home. Thank you for sharing your story,

[@MrVorpalsword]

Lovely story Lonnie ....... I'll just check the dates again, but I think you're family put it up quicker than most builders would manage to do it in England! And your Mum must've been a real pocket rocket .... but it just goes to show, hard work keeps you beautiful! x

[@jennifers6435]

Most amazing video!!!!❤❤❤❤❤

[@BillWoodillustrator]

Fabulous story. It would have been appreciated so much more as they literally had skin in the game. 👏🏾👏🏽

[@judyderieux8484]

How wonderful.....Thank-you for this personal adventure✨

[@TheAnetmusik]

What a unique and impressive family story! Thank you for sharing. Your home is gorgeous! Seeing the picture of your mom, doing superb masonry while you and your sister were playing mearby brought tears to my eyes. ❤

[@ahonaotokodesu7719]

Do-Wright-Yourselves! Wow!!

[@katrina2041]

Glad .

[@Fuff63]

I enjoyed this, thank you what a lovely little home! Cheers.

[@brentdobson5264]

Absolutely incredible phenomenon story and result . Amazed at this . ( What a glorious beautiful home ) .

[@robinblackshear2631]

SO BEAUTIFUL. I BUILT MY HOUSE WITH THREE LITTLE CHILDREN. LOVE THIS

[@denisemiller4964]

Beautiful home. I love his work.

[@anthonyforbes9657]

Beautiful story

[@raymondclark1785]

Beautify done

[@robertdavis5714]

Nice Job, Lic. Contractor and Engineer, very fond of this Architect, have the same likes Wood & Stone.

[@rosensaramov7336]

Fantastic house, fantastic story. Thank you and greetings from Bulgaria!

[@DanielaJulia]

Wow, this is amazing! Congratulations to the family

[@davidmayhew8083]

Amazing story! Lucky you! Smart parents too!

[@AcousticMusicClub]

Inspirational videos. Thank you.

[@davidbeckwith7598]

Lonnie...I would enjoy hearing you read your book aloud to me......

[@danf4447]

sounds like a herclulean task and an immense amount of work!!! few would even attempt that now ! (probably including me!)

[@BizOrNot]

I read your book and it was fantastic! The behind-the-look at how your parents worked their way through the "process" with Mr. Wright, to build their dream was a real eye opener. The background details of your family's dynamic, your mother & father's personalities and their relationship, your relationship with them, and how you all maintained your sanity through the build was as interesting as the process of brining the home to life. I was also glad you included the answers to "so who owns Loveness now?" PS I won't spoil it for others, but as a long-time Springsteen fan, the connection there was also a great surprise.......and I think you made the right decision ;-)

[@celiofirmo]

What an amazing video!

[@MrHMuse]

I really enjoyed your book and encourage anyone else interested in FLW would enjoy it as well.

[@fepeerreview3150]

This was a beautiful video. Thanks.

[@josiproncevic2856]

Fantastic design and building Work imagination

[@madisonbrigman8186]

this is beautiful

[@retiredarchitect3462]

Ah to be young and vigorous!

[@mirakarchitect7945]

Awesome

[@lonnielovness4589]

We have a new video about the Lovness cottage, their second Wright project. It also details the Seth Peterson cottage, on which the Lovness building was based.

[@alanpecherer5705]

You could study 100's of photos of FLW's work and see none, other than these, showing an actual family living in the thing. Dad with the pipe, as classic 50's as is possible. The interior looks very cozy!

[@henrymorgan3982]

A family with the American work ethic. Get it done!

[@lonnielovness4589]

Books are available at the website www.growingupwright.com Ask for a signed copy there!

[@slane_design]

My favorite of the FLW houses!!!

[@alexbryson4277]

Slane Does your family by any chance own pizza shop?

[@laurahale9309]

I sure will!!!

[@RyanJohnsonD]

This is unbelievable. A married couple did this by themselves. How did they learn this?

[@stevenikitas8170]

I had no idea that Wright homes might be built by their owners... I always assumed that they would be built by certified/approved contractors.

[@garryferrington811]

Here in Glendale, CA, Russians do a lot of things without contractors or city approval.

[@selectooldave]

Buy the book if you can.

[@lonnielovness4589]

A personalized, inscribed copy of the book is available at or website, www.riverplacemedia.com

[@danf4447]

your mother looks a bit like an Audrey Hepburn working away on the masonry !:)

[@brunodesrosiers266]

So, your point is that labour comes at a price, right? This house probably increased in value by a factor of 100 if not 200 while the cost of living did by a factor of less than 30 over the same period.

[@OronOfMontreal]

Excellent story. It sounds like your family and house may be eligible for inclusion on the Guinness Book of World Records!

[@nightman8612]

Did the architect visit the construction site at any point? Thanks for the video.

[@lonnielovness4589]

Mr. Wright had planned to visit, and was in Minneapolis in late 1956. Gene Masselink wrote a nice letter to Virginia explaining that the Citizens League had packed the trip full of "Minneapolis" on a private bus tour, and there would not be time for him to visit. Gene suggested that she might bribe the driver to deliver him to Woodpile Lake. Alas, he never saw the project in person, but my parents brought many photos to Taliesin to show him. There are many great stories like this in the book.

[@MrJadwin]

Is there a link to a book?

[@lonnielovness4589]

A signed copy can be purchased at Amazon, from Turn 1 Books.

[@jinden33]

Are you going to build the additional homes wright designed for your folks?

[@lonnielovness4589]

The houses were sold in 2017, and the new owners have built one beautiful additional structure, based on a cabin design from Wright. It's unlikely more will be built, but the original houses have been restored and updated. There is a long chapter in the book with many photos of the renovation and estate as it now looks.

[@richardkirk5098]

Where can I put he’s your book?

[@lonnielovness4589]

A signed copy is available for $45 with free shipping (US). Email us at [e-mail]. Standard copies are available at Amazon.com.

[@cameronrussell8409]

Your parents were true badasses. I hope you know that.

[@DrBlood-cq2cm]

Oh goodness, how did you survive without an iPhone?

[@j.sayler6330]

Was Wright the "world's greatest architect?" His projects were often incredibly far over the customer's budget. And he put appearance far above constructability. They were artwork, but a good architect knows construction well and can do conceptual cost estimating for his clients.

[@gnolan4281]

I don't know, 18 grand is pretty steep. 🥰😉

[@lonnielovness4589]

It was everything they had at the time!

[@gnolan4281]

@@lonnielovness4589 Indeed. I was just joking around as sort of a comment on how exactly low the figure is when compared to today's stratospheric prices. They built their home with their own hard work. What a feeling of joy and accomplishment they must have had; and the whole family involved every step of the way. Talk about building a life!

[@richardgray8593]

Actually $18K in the 50s was not chump change.

[@Psychiatrick]

Wright was Wrong .. he didn't like addicts .. he felt it was a waist of space. Addicts vent warm moist air out of the building. With no addict, the moisture is tapped, condenses then rots the structure. I believe he held the same dislike towards bassments.

[@lonnielovness4589]

Yes, Mr. Wright avoided attics and basements, along with kitchens, garages and large bedrooms. We love his designs in spite of this.

[@Psychiatrick]

@@lonnielovness4589 Yes ... open contracept can be good ...bedrooms have limited function ... opening up the rest of the floor plan does have its advantages ... It is the moisture problem witch appears to be his downfall ... so to speak ...

[@Psychiatrick]

@@lonnielovness4589 It is a lovely house, by the way! Sorry for the late compliment! I live in Toronto. One day in the early 1960s my aunt was out looking for a job. She entered into an Architect's office looking for any kind of job. The office was in a mess, phones ringing off the hook. She seized the opportunity by answering the phones, taking messages and generally easing the tension in the office. She would go on to work for the Architect for over 40 years. The architect's name is Raymond Moriyama ... quite the architect in his own right! FYI ... swell chatting with you!