The Fallingwater: Behind the Name

Two pieces from the latest collection, the Fallingwater Collar and Cuff, were named after an architectural icon of the same name; the chains descend through the hand-sculpted frames, just as the waterfall descends from the house. 

Perched at the top of a waterfall (hence the name) in rural Mill Run, PA, the iconic Fallingwater House was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The year was 1935, and Edgar Kaufman, a department store magnate, was looking for a place to 'weekend'. Now owned by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, the house is open to the public., so if you’re ever in the-middle-of-nowhere, Pennsylvania, you should visit. Modern and timeless, it is still, today, the source of inspiration for home owners everywhere. 

After my three-ish years as an art history minor, I thought that I knew everything there was to know about the iconic house; but, as it turns out, school is not as meticulous with their info as I once thought, and I do not, actually, know it all. So, here's what I learnt; 

The first surprising fact is that their is no way to actually see the waterfall from inside the house; one can only hear it. Imagine listening to a waterfall all day, every day? Like a 24/7 Sleep Machine: Waterscapes Spotify playlist. I would be sleeping all the time. 

The house, itself, is not much larger than the size of the terraces. In the 1930s, sunbathing, much like smoking, had the same health benefits as 'superfoods' do today. I wonder what that says about the future of superfoods? Comparing smoking to chia seeds? Never mind. 

The last fun fact is that Wright used only two materials for the structure, and the exterior and interior finish materials; concrete and sandstone, both quarried on the property. 

Those are just a few small details about the house; I dare you to google it (especially if you want to spend hours falling in love with a building). 

Discover the pieces named after it here.