William H. Copeland House, Chicago

The William H. Copeland House, originally constructed in 1875 in the Italianate style, underwent significant modifications under the guidance of Frank Lloyd Wright in 1909. The house, owned by William Copeland, a physician and manufacturer of patent medicines, reflects Wright's transformative architectural approach during the remodeling. Wright's revisions were designed to open the house to more natural light and give the structure and its accompanying garage a more unified and horizontal appearance, a departure from the vertically oriented Italianate style.

Wright's renovations were comprehensive and focused heavily on simplifying the existing structure. He removed ornamental elements from the façade, which were typical of the Italianate style, and enlarged the eaves to emphasize the horizontal lines that were becoming a hallmark of his developing Prairie style. Internally, Wright introduced dark wood stringcourses along the walls of the tall-ceilinged rooms. These stringcourses ran uninterrupted around the rooms, lowering the apparent ceiling height and enhancing the sense of spaciousness and continuity from one room to the next. This design strategy was part of Wright’s broader aim to create free-flowing interior spaces that were both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

Wright's attention to detail extended to the furniture and fixtures within the Copeland House. He designed specific pieces for the home, including a built-in sideboard for the dining room and a renovated fireplace in the reception room, ensuring that each element conformed to the overall aesthetic of the remodel. The detached garage also received Wright's touch; he replaced its steeply pitched roof with a lower, hipped roof that aligned with his Prairie style designs, added a ground-floor shop, and converted the second story into an apartment, complete with a hall, living room, bedroom, and closet.

The connections between the Copeland family and other notable figures in Wright's circle underscore the intertwined relationships of the era. Copeland’s daughter, Frances, married Walter Pratt Beachy, whose family also resided in a Wright-designed home and who later went on to co-found the Red Square Company with John Wright, Frank Lloyd Wright’s son, and develop Lincoln Logs.