airbnb "experience" at Meyer House
Maybe it is having granted 3 tours in one week, plus a church auction dinner last weekend, but I find that suggestion off putting. Our house is lived in full time, and while we keep it clean, there is extra effort required to get the house and yard spiffed up for an architour. That effort takes time away from normal daily duties, summer time gardening/canning (which is messy), and the day jobs my wife and I have.What we really need is an Airbnb type site just for Wrght fans. So any fan could message any homeowner about dropping in for a tour.
To be clear, I’m not complaining, but please consider for a moment what is involved for the homeowner when you request a tour of their house.
And to be clear, I'm not suggesting forcing homeowners to join a site or be coerced to make their homes available. But I am aware that while some homes are now public tourist destinations (like Taliesin) and others are completely closed off and private, some homes are in the middle, both private and occasionally public. If you know how to contact the owner and write a letter or make a call well in advance, sometimes a Wright fan can talk his/her way into such a home for a viewing. For such homes, maybe there could be an app to facilitate that sort of informal communication. The app could also note the homes that are closed under any circumstances. A digital "Do not disturb" sign.
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Roderick Grant
- Posts: 11815
- Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2006 7:48 am
When, out of the blue, I sent a letter to the Gillen House (addressed to "Owner") inquiring about a visit, I planned my trip to Dallas to visit my brother around his gracious response. Whatever was convenient for him and his wife was made convenient for me. Couldn't have had a better time of it.
Plan well in advance, make inquiry by snail mail, enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope for reply. When a reply comes, send the first of 2 thank you notes. Send the second afterwards. Place all the decisions in the hands of the owner. If you want to take photos, ask first. If the response is 'no' or even a hesitant 'yes,' don't press it. Mr. Guerin asked how extensively I wanted to photograph, and I said I would not photograph anything personal, and I would not publish them ... which I haven't to this day, even though the house has changed hands since.
The privacy and comfort of the homeowner is paramount. If done properly, the result is positive, and the owner is likely to continue to grant visits from strangers. Ginny Kazor, Bettie Wagner and I followed the same rules with Mossberg, and spent the better part of an afternoon with Mrs. Mossberg, who was a delight. We ended with cordials in the dining room.
Properly handled, the owners can get as much out of these visits as the visitors. Sam Freeman spent the bulk of his time in the house meeting people from around the world. His life was enriched by the company.
Plan well in advance, make inquiry by snail mail, enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope for reply. When a reply comes, send the first of 2 thank you notes. Send the second afterwards. Place all the decisions in the hands of the owner. If you want to take photos, ask first. If the response is 'no' or even a hesitant 'yes,' don't press it. Mr. Guerin asked how extensively I wanted to photograph, and I said I would not photograph anything personal, and I would not publish them ... which I haven't to this day, even though the house has changed hands since.
The privacy and comfort of the homeowner is paramount. If done properly, the result is positive, and the owner is likely to continue to grant visits from strangers. Ginny Kazor, Bettie Wagner and I followed the same rules with Mossberg, and spent the better part of an afternoon with Mrs. Mossberg, who was a delight. We ended with cordials in the dining room.
Properly handled, the owners can get as much out of these visits as the visitors. Sam Freeman spent the bulk of his time in the house meeting people from around the world. His life was enriched by the company.