frank lloyd wright's graycliff

U3089EPhelenc

Located about a 1/2 hour outside of Buffalo, this is a great spot to visit in warm weather. It is one of a handful of Frank Lloyd Wright buildings in upstate New York that are all worth seeing.

PghIrishHarps

Graycliff, while quite pretty and picturesque from the outside, is still in the process of being renovated. Since they are doing it the right way and making everything as authentic as absolutely possible, the renovations are very long-term projects and everything isn't finished by any means. If you go in expecting Fallingwater, you'll be disappointed. But! If you go in looking for a great example of FLW architecture, run by a group of people who are supremely dedicated to the property and to doing what is right and saving it from destruction, you will be very happy. The staff there are truly dedicated to keeping this piece of history alive and preserved for generations. I'm really happy that I took the tour, because not only did I get enjoyment out of it, but my money went directly to helping a good cause and to keeping Graycliff alive for the future.Added bonus - if you are into art deco or Arts and Crafts anything, you'll love the great gift shop!

Mack3065

We found it was possible (just barely) to take the free noon tour of Buffalo’s City Hall and drive the 20 minutes west on US-5 to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Graycliff for the 1-hour tour at 2. Our guide Diane was well-versed and enthusiastic as she led our group around the grounds and through only the first floor of a house rescued from ruin and still undergoing extensive restoration. As with any Wright house, the thought given to the site (with views of Lake Erie), the grounds, and the architectural details is impressive.

V5656KCMichael_G

We also did the Martin house in Buffalo and liked that a bit better than this one. That being said, we did the two hour tour of both houses and enjoyed them both. This house's exterior is still in pretty good shape while the interior is undergoing massive restoration (slowly). The site on the cliff above the lake is great. Our tour guide was informative. They were very nice in the gift shop.If you want to see a complete FLW house inside and out this may not be for you, but we've seen about 5 FLW house and we've enjoyed them all for various reasons. Visiting this house will let you decide how YOU would furnish it! it's about 30 minutes from Buffalo.

Rooindie

A pretty spot but much work remains to be done on the buildings and grounds. It us worth seeing as an FLW fan, but perhaps not otherwise. If you only have time for one no question it should be the Martin complex. We did two hour tour but both felt afterwards that the regular tour would have been sufficient

mwooduk

My Mum and I are huge FLW fans and visited Graycliff recently. While there is a great gift shop and the location on Lake Erie and the estate's history are nice, there is very little furniture in the house plus our tour guide (a male) was not terribly good. Isabelle R. Martin (wife of Darwin Martin) commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright to build her a summer home on 8 acres on the shore of Lake Erie and FLW also designed the gardens too! The Graycliff Estate is located about 20 minutes south of downtown Buffalo, about 30 minutes from the Darwin Martin House Complex and you will want to purchase tickets for either house in advance as they are quite popular. I believe it was $15 for the tour. If you are an FLW fan, it's still a must see, but to us personally it was not as interesting as the Darwin Martin house but a good tour guide can make a huge difference!

petaoverseas

Having never been to Buffalo before, I wanted to visit one of the Frank Lloyd Wright houses. We were so lucky that it was a Tuesday, so the Darwin Martin House was closed, but Graycliff was open. On the drive we got a taste of the summer retreats for wealthy Americans in times gone by, and then entered the driveway to Graycliff and joined the tour. It's a great location, on the edge of the Lake, and the guide Maureen was knowledgeable and entertaining. A marvellous setting, you can see the Lake through the house, and see the house reflected in the cascade pond in front. So it's a marvellous introduction to the architect/client relationship. And the fact that the interior is still being renovated makes it all the more interesting, as you learn about the compromises made, the cost overruns, and how the building was saved. So see it now, and then see the houses that have been renovated! And come back later to see future Graycliff developments. The visit made me want to learn more about Frank Lloyd Wright and his work - surely the mark of a good visit and the attitude of all the staff.

writergirlHouston

After seeing the Darwin Martin House in town, this was definitely different because the setting is so stunning, and you can see through the house from front to Lake Erie behind. This operation is NOT connected to the Martin House, although you can get tickets to it there and save a bit of $$. But Graycliff touched my heart more. To hear the story of Mrs. Martin's tug-of-war with FLW and to hear about how it was bought by a religious community and then saved ... great stories. I liked that it wasn't as finished. And I liked the gift shop better, even though it was smaller. It's definitely tricky to find the cutoff, watch for the sign by the Subway shop. And Buffalonians: don't worry about driving through the Southtowns, it's not that far and there are lovely views and homes on the way!

JackieO930

The retirement residence of Darwin Martin is another amazing FLW design. Slightly different in some of the design because Mrs. Martin had free reign on the decisions. She didn't always share the same vision as the architect. Such as a water feature as you enter the front yard, she wanted a flower garden and that was put. Now the preservationists are putting the same water feature Mr. Wright designed. So worth a visit. Docent was wonderful.

madisonCanada

Graycliff was the summer home for the Martins and today it is being restored to it's natural beauty. The grounds were beautiful despite the rain and our docent was very knowledgeable on the family and buildings. We took the 1 hour tour but next time I would like to take the extended tour so you can view the upstairs bedrooms. It is certainly a work in progress so if you expect to go to this home to view a finished product you will be disappointed. But, we realized before we went what the situation was like. The association is trying to raise funds to be able to continue the work but it has been very difficult. This is a jewel and we need to appreciate these wonderful creations. So, your admission and anything you spend in the gift shop is all is turned back to the association for the building project.

Qlever

As others have noted, Graycliff's interior remains very much a work in progress. Our docent proudly pointed out the recently-installed refinished wood floors, and explained the fire suppressant system that was clearly visible in many interior walls that had been opened for renovation. Tours enter through the kitchen, which is among the most poorly renovated rooms (it's not clear whether renovations have begun in this room), but FLW fans will recognize the compression and expansion as you tour the rest of the home. Isabelle Martin suffers at the hands of history and will strike Wright fans as overly opinionated - several of the changes she made to the home over the years - and the intervening owners before the house was rescued by the conservancy each had their own edits. Despite all this, the home retains a sense of purpose. It's placement on the lake affords it a beautiful view (weather permitting), and the exterior and landscaping make the visit worthwhile.

sandra99999

My sister and I have seen several FLW houses and this one is a unique house on a lovely property. This one is the Martin family summer home and we enjoyed seeing it as well as Darwin Martin (winter home) on the same day. This property is working on restoration so there are some areas that need work but overall it is really charming. Wish they had called it "Isabelle Martin House" since they keep saying it was built for Mrs Martin and always called "her house." Property and lake view are really lovely.

glenns610

We toured the home with a wonderful docent. However, the docent spoke a lot outside the house because of the construction going on inside. Skip the in-depth tour and take the basic tour until the interior work is complete.

DianneWheatley

Graycliff was the summer home of the Martins built about 1925. It sits on a cliff overlooking a narrow Lake Erie Beach. There is a main house and out buildings. Wright uses his architectural surprises. You enter a low narrow hall that opens into a huge 2 story natural lit great room with furnishings and decorative objects by Wright. He attacked all surfaces as did Mackintosh. Fortionately for about fifty years this complex was inhabited by a frugal religious order for limited "improvements" were made. Enjoy the gardens lake views and then head to Buffalo to see the Martin city house now fully refurbished.

Lv2Travel87

We have seen the Robie House in Chicago, which is finished. This house isn't finished yet, but they are working on it room by room. It will be great to go back in a couple years to see how it is progressing. The property is gorgeous with views that are simply breathtaking. Our guide was very knowledgeable and made the tour very enjoyable. Glad we made this one of our stops.