Kraus House, Saint Louis

Kraus House is a private residence designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1950 for Russell and Ruth Kraus. Construction began in 1951, and the family moved into the home in 1956, although finishing work continued into the early 1960s. It is one of Wright's Usonian houses, created to provide functional living spaces that blended architecture with the surrounding landscape.

The design reflects Wright's philosophy of organic architecture, emphasizing harmony between the building, nature, and everyday life. In 2001, the property was acquired through a joint effort by St. Louis County and the nonprofit Frank Lloyd Wright House in Ebsworth Park to preserve it as a public park and house museum. Constructed primarily of brick, concrete, glass, and tidewater red cypress, the house follows a unique plan based on two intersecting parallelograms that maximize natural light and visual connections to the outdoors. While built around Wright's architectural framework, the distinctive art-glass panels in the main entrance and terrace doors were designed by Russell Kraus, reflecting his work as a commercial artist and stained-glass designer. Floor-to-ceiling windows, built-in furniture, radiant floor heating, and broad roof overhangs demonstrate the principles of Wright's Usonian architecture.

Today, Kraus House operates as a house museum in Kirkwood, Missouri. Docent-led tours are available year-round by advance appointment online. Visitors can explore original Wright-designed furnishings while learning about the home's design, the Kraus family, and the ongoing preservation of one of Wright's later Usonian residences.