Built at a time when comfort and utility went hand in hand with beauty and grace, the revolutionary residences of William Purcell and George Elmslie bear witness to the powerful convergence of fine craftsmanship and modern technology that typified the architectural innovation of the early twentieth century. The resulting architectural idiom--known as the prairie style--was characterized by plans more open than ever before, site-specific design, and organic details. Each of Purcell and Elmslie's houses was created with a specific place, client, and usage in mind, and was tied to the land by local materials and low, spreading forms. What set the pair's work apart from their Prairie School contemporaries, including Frank Lloyd Wright, was their masterful signature use of ornament and color, as seen in swirling nature-based shapes of wood and terra-cotta and exquisite art glass windows. In At Home on the Prairie, Purcell and Elmslie's enduring dedication to simple elegance and honest design is brought vividly to life. This is the first book to exclusively examine the work of these two visionary architects, who began a revolution in home design the impact of which is still felt today.