The façade is divided vertically into three parts, the center portion housing the main entrance in a stone surround flanked by paired sash windows.

The main library features a fireplace of African rose marble, and the dining room has extensive use of mahogany, a favorite wood of Louis Sullivan's.

[5] It is a distinctive and original design by Sullivan, in which a modern aesthetic was brought to an essentially Classical symmetrical form.

Following several years as a rental property, the house was purchased in 1918 by real estate investor James B. Waller, Jr., for his personal residence.

[7] The house was later purchased by architectural firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill in 1986 and restored for use by the SOM Foundation.