Why did Frank Lloyd Wright use the hollyhock flower to embellish Alice Barnsdall's house?

• A. It was the owner's favorite flower
• B. It symbolized the owner's wealth
• C. It matched interior color palette
• D. It honored a patron saint

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is how a designer personalizes a building to reflect the patron’s tastes. Frank Lloyd Wright chose the hollyhock flower for the embellishments because it was the owner’s favorite flower, making the ornament a personal signature in the home. Wright often links decorative motifs to the client’s identity, so the hollyhock motifs and the name Hollyhock House arise from that individual preference, giving the house a intimate, individualized character.

In contrast, the motifs aren’t about signaling wealth, matching an interior color scheme, or honoring a saint. The emphasis is on a flower that mattered to the owner, which is why the design feels distinctly tailored to her. You can see hollyhock imagery woven into the decorative program, and that connection is what gives the house its iconic name and character.