THE COLORFUL YET COZY LIVING ROOM AT THE SMITH HOUSE IN BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI. AUGUST 31, 2024.

The Melvin Smith Residence Gallery

1946
S.287

5045 Ponvalley Rd.
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan 48302

Wright designed this Usonian L-plan for Mel and Sara Smith, who were schoolteachers.  To save on construction costs Mel Smith acted as his own contractor on the project.  The house is laid out on a 2-by-4 foot grid module, in line with the living room.  Board and sunk batten was used on the walls as a cost saving measure and some would argue that this house is one of the last Usonians to do so.  After the end of World War II, as the economy strengthened, Wright typically suggested that Usonian homes should be built entirely of masonry. 

Mel and Sara were extremely proud of  their home and would often give tours to complete strangers who would randomly show up at their property.  Indeed, it seems that Mel Smith in particular liked to sing the praises of FLLW to anyone who cared to listen.  He was known to get up on the roof and jump up and down on the cantilevered carport roof to demonstrate how sturdy and stable the roof was.  They became friends with FLLW, and he visited their home on several occasions, as is evidenced by photographs that are still displayed in the home.  The Smiths also became friends of the Afflecks and the Palmers.  The Palmers visited their home prior to beginning construction of their home in Ann Arbor.  The Smiths were the only people who ever lived in the home, and the contents, including the furniture and the art, remain today exactly as they were when the Smith’s lived there.  They were supporters of the arts, and most of the sculptures in the yard were done by Cranbrook artists, as were many of the exotic art peices that can be seen in the house.  The landscaping was done by Thomas Church, a noted landscape architect from California.  He stayed with the Smiths and designed the landscaping and the lake (that is shaped like an Elm leaf) as a show of gratitude for their hospitality.

I enjoyed the beauty and warmth of this home, and I am grateful I had the opportunity to take a tour.  It was an excellent way to begin the FLLW portion of my trip to Michigan.  My blog about my trip to Michigan includes my visit to this house as well as many others in the central part of Michigan.

It is my hope that my photographs will give you some sense of the beauty and warmth of this beautiful FLLW design, and the people who made it their home. Enjoy!

The first two galleries below contain photographs taken with my Samsung S22.  The first gallery has photographs of the outside of the home and the sculptures found on the property.  The second gallery has photographs of the inside of the home, along with the furniture and art that the Smiths left behind. 

The final set of photographs below were taken with my Nikon D500 camera.  It is my hope that these photos will give you a sense of the views of the lake and the property that the Smith’s enjoyed from their home.  I  have also included a few more interior photos that I hope will give you an idea of the unique warmth that the Smiths created in their home with their art and other possessions..

AS THIS PHOTO DEMONSTRATES, WHILE IN THE LIVING ROOM OF THE SMITH HOUSE, THE LAKE WAS A BIG PART OF THE VIEW.
THE LAKE WAS ALSO VISIBLE FROM SOME OF THE OTHER ROOMS IN THE HOME.
THE PATIO PROVIDED EXCELLENT VIEWS OF THE SMITH'S PROPERTY.
THIS CORNER OF THE LIVING ROOM HAS A NICE VIEW OF THE WOODED PROPERTY AROUND THE SMITH'S HOME.
THE FIREPLACE IN THE LIVING ROOM OF THE SMITH'S HOME.
A FESTIVE PART OF THE LIVING ROOM DISPLAYS AN ECLECTIC ASSORTMENT OF ART.
BEAUTIFUL FUNCTIONALITY!