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The 6,000-plus-square-foot house was designed by local Frank Lloyd Wright apprentice Frederick “Bud” Hyland in 1968.
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DINING ROOM A set of Mies van der Rohe Brno chairs surround the custom-made 11-foot table. The chairs are upholstered in new fabric from U-Fab. A Scolari snowflake chandelier, original to the house, hangs above. Vintage Pistillo sconces casts dramatic shadows alongside a painting, “The Olympic Torch,” by Bruce Anderson.
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FAMILY ROOM Two Mies van der Rohe leather Barcelona chairs sit opposite a sculptural sofa in the spacious family room with large windows that create a treehouse effect.
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BREAKFAST AREA A Midcentury dining table and chairs, with a George Nelson lamp hanging above, punctuate a sunny corner of the living room.
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MASTER BEDROOM A George Nelson Thin Edge bed and dresser set a sleek tone in the bedroom. A Murano-style Sputnik chandelier and art by Alexander Calder (left) add a decorative touch. The lamps are by Guido Gambone and the vase is by Edouard Cazaux.
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QUIET CORNER An Eero Aarnio ball chair sits next to the home’s original spiral staircase.
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Scot and Janet Morris with daughters Spencer, 20 (standing) and Camryn, 16, relax with pups Chip and Finn in their living room.
Scot and Janet Morris had spent years searching for their forever home when they finally spotted it: Perched on a bluff in a quiet, parklike neighborhood off of River Road, the distinctly modern house stood out like a sore thumb from the Colonial-style homes surrounding it. And that’s just what they loved about it.
Although the couple and their two daughters had lived in a traditional home in Whitaker Woods for the past decade, they had developed a passion for Midcentury modern furnishings and art, collecting so many pieces at antique shops and estate sales that they eventually had to rent a warehouse to store their treasures. All they needed was a house to match their interior aesthetic — and the house on the hill, which turned out to be one of just a few in the area designed by local Frank Lloyd Wright apprentice Frederick “Bud” Hyland — seemed like the missing piece.
The only problem: The owners were still very much living in the house, with no immediate plans to move out. But if you’ve ever doubted that good things come to those who wait, just ask the Morrises. Seven years later, the house hit the market, and they moved in a few months after that.
The 6,000-plus-square-foot house was in immaculate condition, and had changed little since it was built in 1968, from the peacock-print wallpaper and seven colorful tiled bathrooms to the built-in appliances in the kitchen. It was designed specifically for the sloping, 4-acre site, with massive windows and cantilevered decks that seem to invite the outside in. “It almost feels like we’re living in a treehouse,” Janet says.
Rather than completely overhaul the space, the couple chose to keep its footprint and quirky details while infusing a healthy dose of their own style—and a few modern updates like a new kitchen, fireplaces and carpeting. They opted to keep the home’s original telecom system and a lumbering dumbwaiter, which the girls sometimes use to transport snacks from the kitchen to the game room and pool area on the ground floor below.
After three years of living in the house, the Morris family has created a retreat that feels like taking a step back in time. Nearly 100 percent of the home’s furnishings, artwork and accessories date to the 1960s or earlier, from the Sputnik lamps and pair of Mies van der Rohe-designed Barcelona chairs in the living room, to the Eames bed in the master bedroom and the Bertoia chairs on the patio. With the house now fully furnished, Janet plans to start selling furniture and accessories from their warehouse online through her new company, Midcentury Morris.
While many of the pieces in their home are highly collectible — in fact, you might spot a few similar examples on display in museums — the house still feels comfortable, welcoming and above all, authentic. Whether the family is padding around the house in bare feet, or their two dogs are running to the door to greet a new visitor, it’s clear that this house is not a relic from another time — it’s a modern home in the best sense of the word.
When asked about protecting the more rare, valuable pieces around the house — some worth thousands of dollars — Janet says, “I don’t fret about the small things like that. They’re valuable but really functional, so they’re easy to live with.”
That laid-back attitude is what has made the Morris’s home a happy hub for everyone from their daughters’ friends who enjoy lounging by the pool to neighbors and fellow Midcentury lovers who have stopped by to tour the property.
“In the three short years I’ve lived here, I feel like I’ve been here all my life,” Janet says. “It’s definitely home.”
