Mary L. Davis’s Personal Midcentury Modern Masterpiece Hits the Market—for Under $600K

This modest midcentury two-bedroom home, designed by pioneering architect Mary Lund Davis, offers a rare opportunity to own a piece of Pacific Northwest modernism.

NWMLS

AUGUST 2025

Nestled among the tree-lined streets of Fircrest, a small home with a big story has just hit the market. At first glance, it’s easy to miss: a low-pitched roof, a modest carport, and just under 1,000-square-feet of interior space. But this one is quite special. Built 70+ years ago*, this was the personal residence of Mary Lund Davis, an influential architect of the Pacific Northwest—and the first woman to graduate from the University of Washington’s School of Architecture after World War II. Though this midcentury modern home has been updated for modern living, it remains largely intact—a living snapshot of Davis’s architectural philosophy. Now listed for just under $600,000, it’s a rare opportunity to own a home that shaped a design movement.

NWMLS

Living Lightly

Step inside, and the home’s quiet brilliance reveals itself. Vaulted ceilings lift the space, while floor-to-ceiling windows blur the line between indoors and out. Constructed from prefabricated panels on a post-and-beam frame, the design feels both efficient and effortlessly open. There are no wasted spaces or unnecessary separations. The living, dining, and kitchen areas flow together with a kind of understated grace. A lower-level flex space with its own entrance opens the door to multiple uses: home office, guest suite, or creative studio—or even a compact Airbnb getaway. Out back, terraced gardens descend gently to a tucked-away hot tub—more alpine spa than suburban cliché. The emphasis throughout is on quality over quantity. This is slow living in architectural form. In every detail, the house reflects Davis’s core design values: honesty, efficiency, and deep respect for nature.

A Woman Ahead of Her Time

Born in Sacramento in 1922, Davis grew up around construction sites and dinner-table blueprints—her father was a builder, and the influence stuck. In 1945, she enrolled at the University of Washington, joining a post-war class brimming with new energy. By 1946, she had become Washington State’s first licensed female architect after WWII. Her aesthetic was clean, open plans, affordable, flexible materials, strong horizontal lines, and a constant interplay between structure and landscape. She embraced prefab construction and prioritized livability long before the age of open-concept homes. This very house earned her a 1966 AIA–Sunset Western Home Award.

NWMLS

Designing for the Everyday

While Davis never sought the spotlight, her influence rippled quietly and persistently through the Pacific Northwest. In 1962, she co-designed the Tacoma Millwork Supply Company office with Alan Bucholz—a project that caught national attention in Architectural Record for its expressive framing and use of industrial materials. She also collaborated with the Douglas Fir Plywood Association, designing DIY furniture and cabinetry plans distributed nationwide. Her early use of laminate cabinetry blended style and practicality, marrying innovation with everyday function. Later in her career, she built a hexagonal house on Wollochet Bay—part geometry lesson, part meditative retreat—and designed a Usonian-style home for her father-in-law, channeling Frank Lloyd Wright’s principles of clean lines, natural siting, and passive solar design.

NWMLS

A Collectible Without the Ego

There’s something refreshing about the Fircrest home: it’s modest in size, open in spirit, and clearly crafted for real living. The listing isn’t dripping in designer staging or exaggerated language. It doesn’t need to be. For the right buyer, this home is more than shelter. It’s a collector’s piece. And surprisingly, at under $600,000, still within reach.

NWMLS

Details

137 Del Monte Ave, Fircrest, WA 98466

Offered at $549,999

Check out the full listing here

Reach out to me for a private showing:

Shawn Williams, Keller Williams Eastside, 206-436-9099

*Contrary to the 1954 build date mentioned in some historical sources, the listing indicates the property was built in 1952.

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Shawn Williams is a real estate broker and advisor in Washington state who is versed in the history and acquisition of the Pacific Northwest’s architectural legacies. From midcentury originals to contemporary masterworks, she provides the historical context and market insight required to navigate the region’s most intentional homes.

Shawn Williams, House of Grā | Keller Williams Eastside

Call or Text 206.436.9099 |  email: shawn-williams@kw.com

MLS #2412581 | Photos courtesy NWMLS

Listed by Teresa Nielsen, PRO RLTYSRVCS Eastside