Chicago, Illinois
Built in 1905, this seven-bedroom home designed by George Maher was restored circa 2003. The house retains the original millwork, leaded-glass windows with poppy motif, hand-painted library frieze, glass-fronted cabinets, hardwood floors, and five fireplaces; rooms include a chef's kitchen; grand formal rooms; a gym and billiard room; a sunroom; and a trompe l'oeil painted bath.
The half-acre landscaped lot has mature trees, lawns, garden beds, a courtyard, a patio, a pergola, and a potting shed. $3,750,000. Suzanne Gignilliat, @properties East Lincoln Park/Luxury Portfolio International, (773) 394-4717.
Stamford, Connecticut
Taliesin-trained architect John Gillis laid out this contemporary Prairie estate in North Stamford around a central courtyard. The five-bedroom house features a double-height living room with exposed birch trusses and beams, a floor-to-ceiling stacked-stone fireplace, three tiers of clerestory windows, and wide-plank cherry floors, and a basement with a wine cellar and flex rooms.
The 2.2-acre lot includes a pool and a private lake and is surrounded by protected wetlands. $3,200,000. Monica Webster, Douglas Elliman–Scarsdale, (212) 769-6532.
Scottsdale, Arizona
This 2008 Frank Lloyd Wright–inspired home is also a Scottsdale-certified green building. The five-bedroom house in stone, glass, and travertine includes a double-height great room with a wall of windows and mountain views; a chef's kitchen; and a full wet bar.
The 1.8-acre property, overlooking the Mirabel Golf Course, features mature desert landscaping, 60-foot lap pool, play pool, water feature, 10-person hot tub, outdoor kitchen, fireplaces and firepits, and desert walkway. $5,795,000. Ken Gould and Jennifer O'Neil, North&Co., (480) 250-2978.
Highland Park, Illinois
The George Maher–designed Emil Rudolph Residence is also known as the Tulip House, for its art nouveau floral motif. Original details of the 1907 restored, updated five-bedroom home include leaded and stained-glass windows and doors, oak built-ins, beamed ceilings, two carved-wood staircases, and the tulip mosaic over one of three fireplaces.
The wooded lot features a deck, garden beds, and grassy yard and is walking distance to Lake Michigan. $1,398,989. Chaz Walters, Coldwell Banker Realty, (773) 405-8707.
Chicago, Illinois
George Maher's 1902 Moser House stands on six landscaped lots in Buena Park, ringed by a wrought-iron fence Maher created for the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. The five-bedroom home has Louis Millet–designed architectural details, including stained glass and fireplace tilework; living, sitting, and dining rooms; north and south-facing sunrooms; and a skylit gallery space.
Outside are four-season plantings, mature trees, lawns, and a patio. $3,299,000. Carrie McCormick, @properties East Lincoln Park/Luxury Portfolio International, (312) 961-4612.
Des Moines, Iowa
This 1912 four-bedroom in the South Grand neighborhood has been restored and updated. The Dewey House features custom-woodwork window seats, shelving, and oak floors; new electrical and HVAC; a modern kitchen with Shaker cabinets and granite counters; a formal dining room; a stairwell library; and a living room with French doors to a front patio.
Outside are lawns, garden beds, and mature trees; Greenwood Park, the rose garden, and the Des Moines Arts Center are blocks away. $560,000. David Charlson, PROmetro Realty, (515) 729-0560.
This article was first published in the latest issue of The Week magazine. If you want to read more like it, you can try six risk-free issues of the magazine here.
