After 74 years with one family, Frank Lloyd Wright home sells for $4m

Frank Lloyd Wright’s only Tennessee home, the historic Shavin House, has sold for $4 million after 74 years with one family. (Photo: Bruce McCamish Photography)Frank Lloyd Wright’s only residential design in Tennessee has sold for $4 million, more than twice its original asking price. The historic Shavin House in Chattanooga was listed for $1.6 million in late June before being sold at auction following a dispute among the children of the late owners.The winning bid for the property was selected by a judge, and the sale closed on Friday, according to local reports. The buyer’s identity was not immediately available in public records, although the Chattanooga Times Free Press reported that the purchasers are a couple from Nashville.Frank Lloyd Wright’s Shavin House sells for first timeThe sale marks the first time the Shavin House has changed ownership since it was completed in 1952.Seamour and Gerte Shavin commissioned Wright to design the home in 1949, a year after their wedding. The couple lived in the property for decades and were active in the Civil Rights Movement. Seamour died in 2005, while Gerte died in 2020.After remaining in the same family for roughly 74 years, the property has now changed hands for $4 million.The Chattanooga house was listed for $1.6 million, making the final sale price approximately 2.5 times the original asking price.Historic Usonian home overlooks Tennessee RiverA rare Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home in Chattanooga has changed hands for the first time since its completion in 1952. (Photo: Bruce McCamish Photography)The 1,784-square-foot property sits atop Chattanooga’s Missionary Ridge and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.The house is an example of Wright’s Usonian architecture, a style designed around functionality, integration with the landscape and the use of natural materials.The low-profile home is built into the hilltop landscape, with its exterior featuring crab orchard stone, a sandstone native to Tennessee. The roof slopes upward on one side, creating higher ceilings in the great room, while the opposite side is cantilevered to form a carport.Inside Frank Lloyd Wright’s Tennessee homeThe Shavin House blends Wright’s signature Usonian architecture with Tennessee stone, Louisiana cypress and sweeping views of the Tennessee River. (Photo: Bruce McCamish Photography)The crab orchard stone continues throughout the interior, where it is paired with Louisiana cypress used for ceilings, window mullions and built-in furnishings.Large floor-to-ceiling windows allow natural light to fill the great room while offering views of the Tennessee River and Lookout Mountain.The living room features a large stone fireplace and built-in sofas and opens into the dining area. From there, the layout flows into the kitchen, where the only significant updates over the years have reportedly been the appliances.The split-level property includes three bedrooms, an office with a built-in desk and shelving, two full bathrooms and two half-bathrooms.Shavin House remained remarkably preservedListed for $1.6 million, Frank Lloyd Wright’s only Tennessee home ultimately fetched $4 million at auction. (Photo: Bruce McCamish Photography)Despite being completed more than seven decades ago, the property has retained many of Wright’s original architectural elements. Its combination of locally sourced stone, natural wood, built-in furniture and expansive windows reflects the architect’s emphasis on connecting residential spaces with their surrounding environment.The Shavin House’s preservation over generations also helped maintain its architectural significance and contributed to its recognition on the National Register of Historic Places.The property was marketed by Sandy Poe of Alliance Sotheby’s International Realty. Information about the new owners was not immediately available, although local reports identified them as a Nashville couple.