Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House

Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and completed in 1910, the Frederick C. Robie House in Chicago is one of the defining works of Wright’s Prairie style and a landmark of modern American architecture. Characterized by its dramatic horizontal lines, broad overhanging roofs, open interior spaces, and integration of architecture and decorative finishes, the residence embodies Wright’s vision of creating a unified environment in which every element contributes to the whole. The Robie House is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site The 20th-Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright.

In 2018, EverGreene Architectural Arts was contracted through Bulley & Andrews by the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust to conserve and restore the building’s historic plaster and replicate Wright’s original interior paint scheme.

Working with material supplier Henry Frerk Sons, EverGreene sourced and evaluated dozens of aggregates to recreate the historic three-coat lime plaster. Extensive testing and mock-ups established mix ratios that closely matched the composition and appearance of the original material. The new plaster was then carefully tooled to expose the aggregate and reproduce the distinctive texture specified by Wright.

Following the plaster restoration, EverGreene conservators and decorative artists carefully removed modern paint from existing finishes and replicated Wright’s original translucent wash. The treatment reintroduced the historic colors while allowing the texture and aggregate of the plaster to remain visible—an important aspect of Wright’s carefully integrated interior aesthetic.