The man who sparked the craftsman style of architecture and interior design, Gustav Stickley, took advantage of a home disaster. In 1901 a fire destroyed his home’s interior, giving him the chance to rebuild it in his image. While the exterior is not of his own creation, Stickley incorporated his personal Arts and Crafts style inside. He built almost the entire house out of dark wooden boards, seemingly from pieces of furniture from his career. The doors, the floors, the ceiling beams, the stairs, and the bookshelves were all made out of the same dark timber, which contrasts greatly with the white exterior of the home. It is believed that the inside of the Gustav Stickley House became the first of Stickley’s style, sparking a new movement in the country.

Because he designed furniture for most of his career, Gustav Stickley is also admired for his interior design. One example of his aesthetic is within his Log House. Great emphasis on the dark browns of wood, used in both the structure of the home but also in the handmade furniture, is seen in every room. Spanning the entire length of the house is the living room, dimly lighting the log walls and stone fireplace. Other rooms also spanned the house, connected by large open doorways and filled with wooden furniture: chairs, tables, shelves, and sideboards. Just us the exterior of the Log House Stickley designed, the interior provides a comfortable and warm atmosphere that makes one feel at home.

Gustav Stickley became famous during his lifetime for his craftsmanship, particularly for his designs of furniture. He became the face of what is now known as the Arts and Crafts movement. In the early 1900s, Stickley created Craftsman Farms, a place that was hoped to become a farm school for boys as well as an estate for him and his family. In the center of Craftsman Farms is a building he designed himself: the Log House. Made primarily of logs, stones, ceramic tiles for the roof, and other local materials, Stickley’s Log House embodied his passion for craftsmanship and modest, practical homes. The Log House is simple but beautiful. Its stone foundation, band of windows, and wooden walls give it that comforting log cabin feel.

During my high school career, my dad moved out into the nearby city of Denton. I was finally old enough to drive, and since my school and friends were in the same town, I found myself hanging around what we called The Square. In the center of The Square was the Denton courthouse, broadcasting beautiful Romanesque architecture. It is a very lively part of the town but is a microcosm of Denton. Some days you might see trucks waving confederate flags; Some days you might see the flat-Earther car. There’s never a dull moment on the Square. I have taken many family portraits next to the courthouse. I have even attended an amateur spontaneous Christmas concert put together by two friends who just so happened to have their saxophones. Its Romanesque style is seen in many other courthouses and government buildings throughout the nation, but its thick wooden doors and flashy domes will always accompany my memories of home.

When first buying the lot on which my parents would build my childhood home, it was in the middle of nowhere to the extent that there weren’t any real roads. Just to get to the lot, my parents had to transfer onto a truck that would drive them along an artificial dirt path. As you can imagine, there weren’t many shops, stores, or restaurants around us. However, only ten minutes away along highway 380 lived the locally famous restaurant Prairie House. Its rustic architecture bleeds from its exterior design and patio into its seating, tables, decorations, and bars. Here is where we often spent birthdays and had get-togethers. Despite the dim lighting, the soft country music, and the relaxing smell of barbecue, the atmosphere was always one to enjoy. I still think about their root beer floats, with root beer out of the bottle. I also think about the life-sized bear at the entrance, which scared me until I accidentally broke off a claw. Prairie House has always been one of my favorite buildings as well as one of my favorite places to eat. It is one of the things that has always drawn me back home.

I really love this building, and it is one of my favorite in OKC. It has a very grassroots feel, and I think really reflects a certain community of artistic culture within OKC that I am really proud to have. I like the versatility of the events held here, and always think that the ambiance of the building adds something to the concerts and exhibits held here. When I first saw the building, it obviously caught my eye because of how unique and colorful it was, but I never knew what it was until I was invited to a Halloween party they held a couple of years back, and I learned that it was something of a museum showcasing avant-garde style works. I have been back several times since and it is different every time I go. The interior is just as interesting as the exterior, and it is always really cool to visit this eccentric place.

Edward Delk worked with Frank Lloyd Wright on multiple occasions. the two designed a personal home in Kansas City, and began a project to build a church there as well. However, Wright did not agree with city standards and left the project. Delk continued, following city standards, and finished the church. How incredible it must have been for Delk to work with one of the most decorated architects in history. It is possible Delk was inspired by Wright’s preference for long, flat buildings as opposed to skyscrapers, and incorporated this idea in the Philbrook Villa. I also wonder if Delk gained or lost respect, or was indifferent about Wright’s refusal to comply.

In 1995, the home in which I would spend my entire childhood began construction. It is the place that has shaped my entire life, good and bad. This house not only holds the lovely memories of growing up with my sisters, all my childhood slumber parties, and some wild high school hangouts, but also those documenting a disintegrating marriage. It is a beautiful house, one that neighbors and visitors frequently compliment. Whether it’s the grand foyer with the massive chandelier, the downstairs space connecting the kitchen and living areas, or the expansive back patio marking the beginnings of the trail to Lake Lewisville, everyone who has placed their eyes on the Oak Point House falls in love with something. I, too, felt this way while growing up. However, since the official split of my parents in 2016, I find myself associating as many negative memories as the positive with this home. Moving away to college became a much needed escape, and while I will always consider it home, I dread coming back.

Edward Delk studied at the University of Pennsylvania. Later on he would visit Greece and Rome to study the styles of buildings. After his time in the military, he chose to stay in London in order to attend the University of London, studying city planning. Delk began his work on plaza buildings, and these buildings are said to reflect the Spanish and Mexican style that had influenced Delk. Although he helped design buildings around the world, his works were mostly focused in Kansas City, where his business was located, and Oklahoma.

I have lived in this building for several years. From the outside it looks nice, and the amenities and nice pool area are what initially drew me to this complex – as well as the vertical space and how high it rises. However, I have come to strongly dislike this building for various reasons. I am not sure if it is a structural issue, or the ground settling, but I have driven into the parking garage with the same truck every year to move units, and I have noticed that over time the garage ceiling has “sunk”. This is very strange to me as this last year my car actually scraped the ceiling, and it is the same vehicle I have always used, which is really worrisome. I have also noticed that there seem to be mechanical issues with the electric situation. Most of all though, I feel like the design (at least of the units I have been in) is tragically flawed. First, every hallway looks the same and the floor in one building is equal to one floor higher in the other (perhaps because the ground is not completely level). This makes it extremely hard for visitors to make sense of the building, and they often get lost or walk into the wrong unit as the numbering system makes no sense at all. Also, I know it is a personal preference, but yellow and red feel like food colors to me, and not primary colors you would use in housing, but again possibly just personal preference. The worst of all though is the layout of units, it is terrible. There are areas that force you to either have your bed against a wall or a window, blocking natural light; and I feel like this is the worst example of an “open floor plan” as everything is oriented in such a way that does not allow the use of natural light, even with large windows. There is a mounted TV on the west wall immediate to the window so that if you are watching during the day there is a glare unless you close the windows, and the bathroom is placed at less than a 45 degree angle to the large bedroom windows so that if the door is not completely closed all of the neighbors can see you showering. The balcony door is placed directly across from the entry door, so if the doors are not locked they constantly blow open from the pressure. The hallways have strange acoustics to where you can hear conversations being had, even at a normal tone. I could go on and on, but in sum – I strongly, strongly dislike this building and placing furniture or making attempts to place decor have endlessly frustrated me here.