AT HOME WITH PATINA
Creating personal, collected spaces designed around the way people live
For Amanda Mertins and Kimberly Weiler, Patina Polished Living began with a shared love of beautiful, well-made things—and an idea they had talked about for years.
“We had always talked about opening a store together.”
That idea became Patina, first on Franklin Street and today in a historic 1785 residence at 111 S. Columbus Street in Old Town Alexandria. More than 14 years later, Amanda and Kim have created a business that is part shop, part interior design studio, and a welcoming source of inspiration for the home.
Amanda, a University of Maryland graduate with a degree in Economics, moved to Alexandria as a child and attended Fort Hunt High School. She and her husband have five sons and six grandchildren. Kim earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from the University of the Arts and moved to Alexandria after marrying her husband. Together, they raised two sons.
While they bring different backgrounds to Patina, they share a belief that a home should be personal, comfortable, and reflective of the people who live there.
From Retail to Interior Design
Patina’s original Franklin Street shop offered fresh flowers, accessories, custom upholstery, garden pieces, vintage finds, and new furnishings. Customers loved the individual pieces—but they also loved the way Amanda and Kim put everything together. Soon, people began asking for help creating that same collected, comfortable feeling at home.
Interior design became a natural extension of Patina.
Today, their services range from helping refresh a single room to developing furniture layouts and designing multiple spaces throughout a home. They offer space planning, furniture and fabric selection, custom upholstery, window treatments, lighting, rugs, accessories, and styling.
Their approach, however, isn’t about giving every client the same Patina “look.”
“We do not sell a single ‘look’ or impose a signature style on every project. Instead, we begin by looking at what each client already owns, what they love, and how they want to live, then help them make their home look and feel more complete.”
It’s an approach that has led to lasting relationships. Many Patina design clients have worked with Amanda and Kim for more than 12 years, returning as their homes, families, and needs change.
“We believe those lasting relationships and repeat projects are among the most meaningful endorsements of our work.”
A Shop That Feels Like Home
Patina’s Columbus Street location gave Amanda and Kim the opportunity to bring their vision to life in a whole new way. Rather than feeling like a traditional retail store, the shop is arranged as a series of real rooms where visitors can see vintage and new furniture, fine linens, tabletop pieces, artwork, garden items, gifts, and decorative objects layered together.
The result feels less like shopping and more like wandering through a beautifully collected home.
Amanda and Kim choose pieces for their quality, beauty, and character rather than simply following trends. Whether someone stops in for a hostess gift, needs one special piece of furniture, or wants help furnishing an entire home, the goal is to offer thoughtful, personal service.
Their advice for anyone planning a room is to begin with how the space will actually be used and pay close attention to scale. Once the function, layout, and proportions are right, colors, patterns, fabrics, and furniture styles can be layered in over time.
Giving Back to Alexandria
Patina’s connection to the community extends beyond the shop. Amanda and Kim have consistently supported The Twig and its fundraising efforts benefiting Inova Alexandria Hospital, along with contributing merchandise, flowers, and other donations to local organizations and charitable causes. They have also donated flowers to Goodwin House and supported schools, nonprofits, community events, and fundraising initiatives over the years.
They are equally proud of the community that has formed inside Patina. Longtime customers have become familiar faces, while relationships with staff members have grown into genuine friendships.
“We appreciate our talented staff and are so grateful for the time and effort they put into Patina,” they said. “Their creativity, dedication, and enthusiasm are an important part of Patina’s success.”
After more than 14 years in business, Amanda and Kim are excited about what comes next: discovering unique products, expanding their design work, hosting special events and trunk shows, and creating even more reasons for customers to visit.
At the heart of it all is the philosophy that has guided Patina from the beginning.
“No two projects are alike because no two clients are alike. We believe the most successful interiors reflect the people who live in them, rather than the designer who created them.”
Patina Polished Living
111 S Columbus Street Alexandria, VA 22314
(703)780-6800
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