A Centreville Residence With a George Washington Portrait and a Hawaii-Motivated Deck

Michelle Whitener moved nine occasions about the study course of 20 many years, so she was thrilled to settle in her existing Centreville property a few-and-a-50 % decades back, where she’s shut to family, walking trails, and fantastic colleges. She lives with her husband Joe, their children Joseph, 12, and Madeleine, 1, and their Australian Shepherd-Korean Jindo mix Buddy.

Whitener, who owns the life-style and layout brand name MW Patterns, concentrated on building a collected feel in her home by combining old and new furniture, as very well as conventional and present day aesthetics. “My style and design philosophy is to combine and mix the points you enjoy that make your household a reflection of you,” she claims. “It does not subject what is on-craze, just that you enjoy it and it demonstrates your identity.”

For the duration of the pandemic, Whitener and her husband made the decision to Do it yourself their basement into a media room-satisfies-library. Following a few trips to Ikea and Lowe’s (and some late nights), the duo now spends Friday family members movie nights in the place, which has a built-in bookcase and a fake wall that hides electronics.

But their most loved spot is outside—the back deck. The duo lived in Hawaii for a several decades and pays homage to their previous house by way of the outdoor space’s tiki torches, fire pit, and string lights.

Who lives there: Michelle Whitener, her partner Joe, their two youngsters Joseph and Madeline, and their Australian Shepherd-Korean Jindo blend Buddy
Approximate square-footage: 4,600 sq. ft
Amount of bedrooms: Five
Range of bathrooms: Three-and-a-50 %

Favorite piece of household furniture: The black, Civil War-era cupboard in Whitener’s dwelling space, which was a reward from her dad and mom and stands over 9 feet tall.
Favorite household interior retailer: Restoration Components, A single Kings Lane, Residence Goods, Wayfair, Facebook Market, The Outdated Lucketts Retail store, and Chairish.
Beloved Do-it-yourself: Putting in the cheerful wallpaper in the mudroom.

Splurge: The 1960s vintage redwood coffee table in the family members space. “We uncovered this unique piece in California and procured it from the primary entrepreneurs,” says Whitener. “It’s a great dialogue starter when web hosting friends.”
Steal: The portrait of George Washington that hangs about the relatives room’s mantel—Whitener scored it on Facebook Market.
Design guidance: “With almost everything heading on in the environment right now, it’s vital to enjoy the room you stay in and to encompass yourself with all the points that bring happiness and joy to your life,” suggests Whitener. “I really like creating a spot to retreat to for my household after a occupied working day.”

Affiliate Editor

Mimi Montgomery joined Washingtonian in 2018. Her function has appeared in Outside Magazine, Washington City Paper, DCist, and PoPVille. At first from North Carolina, she now lives in Petworth.