Back to the prairie

Prairie style -- created a century ago by Frank Lloyd Wright and his contemporaries -- has a new group of young, hip devotees.

Buyers in their 20s and 30s are among those filling their homes with furniture and accessories inspired by the long-ago era.

The designs were so modern in their time that they translate well today, said Eric O'Malley, an owner of Prairie Arts in Wheaton, who is barely in his 30s.

"Our generation's coming to these designs that are well over 100 years old speaks to the quality, ideology, craftsmanship and philosophy behind all these things," he said.

O'Malley, his sister Lisa Kelly and her husband Bryan Kelly are owners and sole employees of the company. Their products include licensed Frank Lloyd Wright screens and Teco pottery, all made in the United States.

They sell to stores across the country, including Room & Board, as well as through their own online site.

Another company, Prairie Loft in Naperville, also designs prairie-inspired items, especially furniture and rugs. The company operates a retail store at Brookdale and Route 59 just south of the Reagan Tollway (I-88) in Naperville.

"We think that prairie is probably the most popular right now that it has been since it originated almost 100 years ago," said Deborah Lee, who is in business with her husband, Lock Lee.

"It's timeless," she said.

Both businesses were inspired by visits to the Frank Lloyd Wright Home & Studio in Oak Park.

O'Malley was enchanted with the screens in the playroom.

The Lees liked the furniture.

Both sought out craftsmen to make these styles for their own homes.

And when friends started asking for copies, businesses were born.

"The visit to the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio was one of those life-changing moments," said Deborah Lee. "Light bulbs went on. The design was so simple and yet so elegant."

Her husband, who designs the Prairie Loft products, is from Malaysia and educated in Europe and America.

He was always interested in design and finally abandoned the career in corporate finance that his family had selected for him.

"In Arts and Crafts, which inspired prairie, and in prairie you can see influences of Asia, Europe and mostly America," said Deborah Lee. "It's a style that really spoke to his art."

While Prairie Arts tries to be as faithful as possible to the original designs and is licensed to sell the Wright items, Lock Lee creates his own designs in the prairie spirit.

In fact, Prairie Loft, which sells prairie and Arts & Crafts collections, has a new line called Prairie Modern that could be described as prairie light. And the company is moving toward a natural stain that makes the most of the mahogany.

But their creations fit the theme well enough that some are carried by Wright museum shops.

And the Lees provide broader design help, such as selecting colors and lighting fixtures to go in a prairie-inspired house. They also work with architects and designers and customize their products for a 10 percent price increase, she said.

Prairie Arts uses modern methods to create these designs affordably. For example, the screens that took 18 months when an artisan cut them from solid oak are now laser cut in 25 minutes from fiberboard covered with oak veneer.

The Teco vases are made in historic colors of green, blue and yellow and more modern white, dark brown and natural. They sell for $45 to $165 each.

"It seems ahead of its time," said O'Malley. "It doesn't seem like stodgy 100-year-old pottery."

And the owners of both businesses talk about how the ideals of the prairie artists fit today's search for involving Nature in our home and leading less wasteful and more environmentally friendly lives.

Prairie mixes with contemporary, Asian, transitional and some antiques, said Deborah Lee. It's a style that both genders are drawn to.

"This art reflects very Midwest ideals," said O'Malley. "Chicago is a very special place in the history of architecture."

Here is how to contact for Prairie Loft and Prairie Arts:

Prairie Loft, 1320 N. Route 59, Route 59 and Brookdale Road, Naperville. Call (630) 922-9990 or visit www.prairieloft.com.

Prairie Arts, call (800) 594-3148 or visit www.prairie-arts.com.