Miller House (Columbus, Indiana) facts for kids
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Miller House
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Southern entrance
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| Location | Columbus, Indiana |
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| Architect | Eero Saarinen |
| MPS | Modernism in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Design, and Art in Bartholomew County, 1942-1965 MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 00000706 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | May 16, 2000 |
| Designated NHL | May 16, 2000 |
The Miller House and Garden is a special home in Columbus, Indiana, United States. It is known for its mid-century modern style. The famous architect Eero Saarinen designed it.
An important businessman named J. Irwin Miller and his wife, Xenia Simons Miller, asked for the house to be built in 1953. The Miller family loved modern design. They helped build many modern buildings in Columbus, Indiana. The Miller House took four years to build and was finished in 1957.
Today, the house is located at 2860 Washington Street in Columbus. It was named a National Historic Landmark in 2000. The Miller family lived in the home until 2008. After Xenia Miller passed away, the house was given to the Newfields in 2009.
The Miller House and its gardens show the work of many important artists. These include Eero Saarinen, interior designer Alexander Girard, and landscape architect Dan Kiley. Kevin Roche, a main designer from Saarinen's office, also helped.
Contents
Designing the Miller House
Eero Saarinen was a friend of J. Irwin and Xenia Miller. He first designed a summer house for them in Canada. Then, they asked him to design their main home in Columbus, Indiana. The Miller House was meant to be a home for them all year. The Millers also wanted a place where they could host important guests.
The house is about 6,838 square feet in size. It is one of the few single-family homes that Saarinen ever designed.
Modern Style of the House
The Miller House is a great example of modernist architecture. This style was made popular by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. It features an open layout and a flat roof. The walls are made of stone and glass.
Inside the house, there is a central open space. From this space, four areas branch off. These areas include rooms for the parents, children, guests, and staff. There are also useful areas like the kitchen and laundry room. The house plan is very functional and equal for all areas. Its design, with rooms around a central space, is similar to the old Villa Rotunda from the 1500s.
Special Features Inside
The house has a grid of skylights on the ceiling. These skylights let in light and create interesting shadows. They are held up by sixteen steel columns.
Other key parts of the modern design include a round fireplace. There is also a 50-foot-long storage wall. A special feature is the sunken conversation pit in the middle of the living room.
The house was photographed in 1958 for a magazine article. The Millers made only small changes over the years. For example, they removed one wall to make a guest room bigger.
Designing the Gardens
Saarinen asked landscape architect Dan Kiley to design the gardens. They had worked together before on the St. Louis Gateway Arch. Kiley wanted the outdoor spaces to feel like a part of the house. He divided the landscape into three main sections. Each section has its own look and feel.
The Miller House gardens show how modern design can be used in formal European gardens. These gardens often use symmetry and geometric shapes.
Outdoor Spaces and Plants
The property is about 13.5 acres. It has the Flatrock River on one side and Washington Street on the other. Kiley left the large meadow near the river mostly untouched. He focused on shaping the areas right around the house.
Many plants were placed to protect the living areas. For example, weeping beech trees on the west side block sun and wind.
A line of horse chestnut trees guides you along the entry drive. This path slowly reveals the house as you get closer. The Millers wanted their home to blend in, not stand out too much. Blocks of apple trees are also on the lawn. At the edge of the property, arborvitae trees create a hedge. This hedge acts as a soft boundary.
The gardens north of the house first had redbud trees. Later, these were replaced with crabapple trees. In the southwest corner, there is a swimming pool. It is also surrounded by arborvitae hedges.
The Honey Locust Allée
One of the most famous parts of the garden is the line of honey locust trees. This line of trees runs along the west side of the house. It frames the beautiful view of the meadow and the river.
Over time, two sculptures were added to the ends of this tree line. A sculpture by Henry Moore called Draped Reclining Woman was at the north end. A bas relief by Jacques Lipchitz was at the south end. In 2008, the honey locust trees were replanted. The famous Moore sculpture was sold after Xenia Miller passed away.
The gardens were updated again in 2022. This refresh focused on the swimming pool area and the orchards.
Interior Design and Furnishings
Architect and interior designer Alexander Girard worked closely with the Millers. He helped choose all the furniture and decorations. His choices for fabrics, textiles, and furniture added warmth and color to the house's straight lines.
Girard designed a 50-foot-long storage wall. This wall has cabinets, bookshelves, and niches. It helps hide equipment while showing off the Millers' interesting objects. These objects included folk art from places like Mexico and Asia.
He also designed patterns for many curtains and rugs in the house. One rug has symbols that show the family's history and interests. The dining room chair cushions even have the family members' initials. Girard also suggested the idea of the conversation pit. This special seating area makes the large living room feel less cluttered.
See also
In Spanish: Casa Miller para niños
