I helped put mid-century modern on the map
And I’ve still got the sofas to prove it.
Well, hello again.
It’s me, Willis Wonderland (yes, the house).
I hope this doesn’t come across as too braggy, but I was once the star of a greeting card. Oh, and also featured prominently in an important design book. No biggie.
So, the good folks at the Willis Wonderland Foundation have been hard at work archiving my contents, aka Allee Willis’ incredible collection.
Inside one of my cabinets, they found something special: a small stack of greeting cards from 1983, envelopes and all. On the front is a photo of my living room, taken just three years after Allee Willis moved in.
Rabbit hole in 3…2…1…
The photo was taken by Timothy Street-Porter, who stopped by to capture my curves and Allee’s growing collection. His images were for a book by Cara Greenberg.
That book, Mid-Century Modern: Furniture of the 1950s, came out in 1984. The term mid-century modern had probably been used before as a way to describe furniture from the late 1940s to the mid-1950s. But Greenberg and her editor didn’t know that when they chose it for the title. So, it was her book that ended up bringing the phrase into the mainstream (I know!).
And yes, I am featured in it. I’m literally part of design history.
A version of the greeting card photo even made it into the book. Lookee:
Isn’t that the coolest?
Your new best friend,
Willis Wonderland
P.S. Want to get your hands on a pair of these 42-year-old cards?
From now through May 20, 2025, any donation of $10 or more to the Willis Wonderland Foundation puts you in the running to get two original 1983 greeting cards, envelopes included. There are only a handful left, and they’ll be sent directly from me to you.
Naturally, all donations are tax-deductible and go toward preserving Allee Willis’ creative legacy and supporting the next generation of artists.
Big thanks to the Willis Wonderland Foundation for giving me a voice.
They honor the legacy of Hall of Fame songwriter and creative powerhouse Allee Willis by empowering the next generation of creatives. Be sure to take a look at their Musical Wonders music education program. If you’d like to support what they’re doing, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today.
Also, don’t sweat sharing any photos or GIFs I include in my emails. Just credit “Willis Wonderland Foundation.” They’re licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0, which means you can share them, just not use them to sell stuff.
Wow, you made it all the way down here. Appreciate you!