Local Couple Gets Nod For Wright Home Restoration

BARRINGTON HILLS, IL — A local couple is being recognized for their work in restoring a Frank Lloyd House in Barrington Hill they bought in 2016.The Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy announced that David and Joyce McArdle are among their 2020 Wright Spirit Award recipients for their restoration of the Frederick House, which is located at 19 W. County Line Road.

Built in 1957 for interior designer Lois Frederick, the Frederick House is among Wright's last residential commissions designed in the U.S. The McArdles, who also restored Wright's 1901 F.B. Henderson House in Elmhurst, bought the Barrington Hills propertyin 2017 for $795,000, according to Architectural Records.

Chicago-based Eifler & Associates, hired by the Barrington Hills couple, restored the natural color and luster to cabinetry, stripping its pink and green tints, and added geothermal heating and cooling.

Also since 2016, a new cedar shake roof was installed, the master bedroom was reconfigured and a new bathroom was added and furniture designed by Wright for the home, but never built, was fabricated and installed, according to a National Register of Historic Places registration form for the Frederick House.

The Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy's Wright Spirit Award recognizes owners and stewards of Wright buildings and others who have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to preserving and restoring the remaining built works designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and enhancing appreciation of Wright’s legacy, according to a news release.

“There are so many different people who make an impact in the Wright world, from private homeowners who spend great amounts of time and money restoring Wright houses, to those who help facilitate the rescue of buildings that might otherwise be lost, to government officials who prioritize historic preservation in their planning and budgeting,” said Barbara Gordon, executive director of the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy.

This year’s Wright Spirit Awards will be presented on Saturday, November 14 during the Conservancy’s first-ever virtual conference. The awards ceremony will stream live onlinebeginning at 7 p.m.