Kim Moayedi sits on a console table between two white, barnlike half-doors that hang from a metal wall rail. The doors are old and worn — in need of a paint job, some would think. Above her head on a weathered wooden sign are the painted words “BEACH 200 M” with an arrow pointing to its location. One could almost imagine Moayedi on a bench in Cape Cod, relaxed in vacation mode.
But Kim is inside her three-story rowhome in Rodgers Forge, the prior image nothing more than a fleeting illusion. Such is the power of a little bit of whitewash over stained wood, which is the essence of this young designer’s work, her home business appropriately named The Whitewashed Row Home.
“The [business] started when we moved into our rowhome four years ago,” says the 30-something mother of four, who has a design background and a love of decorating. “The whitewashed stain and paint effect that we often use [began] in our daughters’ room.”
With the idea of making their third level brighter, Moayedi and her husband, Chris, a financial analyst whose hobby is woodworking, decided to stain and whitewash the floors. They found the fruits of their labor to be the perfect solution for a light and airy effect that Moayedi calls “girly.”
On the heels of this decorating project, the couple decided to pool their talents to create homey and locally inspired decorative art and wall hangings. Chris Moayedi does the woodworking in their garage and Kim adds her creative touch to finish each piece.
The Whitewashed Rowhome’s website showcases a large selection of their works. Just about any subject, slogan, place or design can be stained and whitewashed on the various sizes and shapes of the wood. Many of the multiple-board pieces are embellished with rope for hanging.
While they do not sell from their home or take web orders, their designs can be found in several area stores, such as Su Casa in Fells Point, Ellicott City and Towson, as well as Becket Hitch in Green Spring Station. Special orders can be requested through the stores.
With the success of this joint venture, they have all the work the two of them can handle with four children and Chris’ full-time job. And Kim says she is having too much fun with the kids to think about opening her own shop at the moment. Working out of her home suits her lifestyle, as well as her commitment to the business.
“I create local items that you can’t find anywhere else,” she says. “I love to highlight those things and bring them into people’s lives.”