360modern is a community of modernists including architects, Modern furniture and art experts, non-profits, state historical organizations, county historical groups, and contractors. Today, we’re continuing our showcase of the people and businesses that make up the Seattle Modern community.
We had the chance to ask Lake Forest Park resident and Mid-Century enthusiast Audrey McGill (IG: Wildwoodmodern) a few questions. Without further adieu, here’s her story first hand…
Please quickly introduce yourself.
Hello! I’m Audrey; I’m a writer, Mid-Century enthusiast, and owner of a 1958 John Burrows house. My husband and I bought our house a little over two years ago and have since been renovating the interior and exterior of our home. Our updates have always been fueled by a desire to honor our home’s Mid-Century roots while also making the space work well for our family of four in today’s modern world.
How did you originally discover modern design, architecture, and real estate?
My husband and I relocated to Seattle from the Washington D.C. area where we had owned a traditional colonial style home, which is very prevalent back East. After beginning our house hunt in the area, we were finding quite a few listings for Mid-century Modern houses. We were instantly smitten, as Mid-century Modern style homes just didn’t exist in our previous D.C. suburb. We’ve always loved the clean and simple lines of Mid-Century Modern houses. Our passion for Mid-century architecture naturally grew into a passion for Mid-Century furniture and design while searching for pieces to furnish our house with pieces of an appropriate scale and design that complimented the feel of our unique house.
What’s the story behind your John Burrows 1958 Mid-Century?
John Burrows, was a locally known contractor who specialized in building smaller, modern-style homes on difficult lots. Burrows had moved to the Seattle area from California and had been influenced by notable modernists such as William Wooster, Richard Neutra, John Didwiddie, Joseph Esherick Jr., and Gordon Drake. (Pacific Northwest Magazine, 8 February, 2013) We immediately became drawn to Burrows houses while on our home search. We love the iconic post and beam ceilings and the houses that were built with walls of glass that bring the outdoors in. After searching for months on the active market and not finding any Burrows houses for sale, we quite luckily stumbled upon a Burrows house that was off market but whose owners were looking to sell soon. My husband was skeptical, so imagine his shock when the then owner called us back the next day! A fun fact about our neighborhood of Burrows houses is that after Burrows would complete a home on our street, he would hold a party for the whole neighborhood!
How do you live modern?
Mid-Century homes were not typically built on a grand scale. Like most Mid-Century homes, our house has small closets and storage space is at a minimum. We live modern by using the spaces in our home with intention and thought. Every square inch of space is used well and in turn, allows us to live well.
Why do you love modern?
Modern design is simplicity at its best. We love the clean and simple lines of the furniture and homes that defined an era.
*Interested in telling the story of your Modern lifestyle? Shoot me a line at drew@360modern.com.