The Louis Penfield House, Willoughby Hills

About The Louis Penfield House

The Louis Penfield House is a Frank Lloyd Wright residence completed in 1955 and open to visitors in Willoughby Hills, Ohio. Guests tour a home designed with distinctive architectural features created specifically for its original owner, Louis Penfield, including a high ceiling, narrow stairs with wide steps, and sixteen thin ribbon windows. The house sits on a rise overlooking the Chagrin River, positioned to face the natural landscape in keeping with Wright's philosophy of organic architecture. Visitors see renovated furniture and cabinetry crafted from Black Cherry hardwood sourced from trees that fell near the property, demonstrating Wright's principle of using materials provided by the land itself. The home exemplifies Wright's Usonian design ideals, with each architectural element tailored to the specific circumstances of its client and location. A tour reveals how Wright worked without contracts or fixed schedules, designing each house as a unique response to individual needs and natural surroundings.