When you walk into The White House Interiors, you feel it — a calm presence that invites you to pause. The store is beautifully arranged with luxurious fabrics and elegant details. It’s regal yet welcoming, polished yet peaceful. For owner Ann Marie James, that peace is no accident — it’s the heart of everything she does.

Ann Marie, a Samford graduate, seasoned real estate investor, and mother of five (and grandmother to eight under the age of five!), began The White House Interiors in 2017 as a supportive business to Crown Properties of Alabama – her family’s construction and real estate ventures. With her husband as the contractor, they started the furniture store to display their staging furniture. “We were staging homes we were flipping, and people kept asking if they could buy the furniture,” she shares. What began as a 4,000-square-foot showroom quickly doubled in size within three months and soon outgrew that space too.

But what has grown is far more than square footage. With locations in Brook Highland and Hoover, The White House Interiors has become much more than a high-end furniture boutique.

“Yes, we offer luxury furniture,” Ann Marie says, “but it’s not just about selling furniture. It’s about serving people—creating spaces that feel like home, that minister peace, and that reflect who you are.” The company’s mission is clear: The White House Interiors is committed to creating beauty and releasing peace in the homes of our customers as led by the Holy Spirit.

One story close to Ann Marie’s heart involves a client who asked her to furnish their lake house. The result was a beautifully decorated home that the family truly adored. Later, when that same family built a new house in Birmingham, the builder provided the design service. Though the new home was stunning, the homeowner confided in Ann Marie that it just didn’t feel the same. He said, ‘Our lake house feels so peaceful. This one just feels chaotic.’ When Ann Marie visited the Birmingham home, she sensed the heaviness and chaos the homeowner described. She explained to him The White House’s story: “This is why our furniture does not feel chaotic –  because we bless it. We pray. We worship. It belongs to the Lord. We’ve committed it to Him.” Together, Ann Marie and her client then prayed and released God’s presence and His Holy Spirit into the space.

That peace, Ann Marie explains, is tangible. “You can sense it. You can feel it. People come into our store all the time and say, ‘I don’t need anything, but I just wanted to come by.’ Sometimes they’re going through a hard time, and we might pray with them or just be a listening ear.”

For Ann Marie, ministering through beauty is more than a business philosophy - it’s a calling.

“Everything belongs to the Lord, and we believe that because this is His, we've surrendered it to him, that it's blessed and anointed, but also that that goodness can be released into the homes of our people, our customers, our clients when they buy something from us.”

She adds, “Beauty ministers peace. Your home isn’t just your biggest investment. It’s where you go to rest and restore your spirit. When it’s chaotic, you feel it inside. But a well-balanced, uncluttered, beautiful space brings calm.”

At The White House Interiors, faith is foundational — but so is love. “We have customers from all walks of life and every belief system,” Ann Marie shares. “Everyone is welcome. We honor and respect them. Our desire is simply that they feel loved and that they experience God’s presence while they’re here.”

Alongside the showroom and design services, Ann Marie has recently expanded with The White House Real Estate. A licensed agent since 2005, she partnered with Valisa Schmidley, a broker licensed in five states. “When you list with us, we stage your home with high-end furniture and lighting - that brings perceived value,” Ann Marie explains. “Homes sell faster and for more because buyers can see—and feel—what’s possible.” Staging services are offered free of charge exclusively to real estate clients.

The White House Interiors offers complete design services for a one-time fee of $499. This includes an in-home visit to measure, photograph, and understand the space. From there, the team works with clients’ individual styles—whether modern, classic, rustic, French, or transitional—to create spaces they love coming home to. “People often feel overwhelmed. They don’t know where to begin. But to us, it’s second nature. We love what we do, and we’re passionate about helping others love their homes,” Ann Marie shares. Everything from rugs, furniture, and lighting to draperies and accessories is available in-store and ready for immediate delivery. “That’s a big game changer,” Ann Marie says. “What you see is what you can take home.”

But Ann Marie’s heart for people doesn’t stop at the showroom floor.

About four years ago, she quietly launched Operation Joy, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to blessing families facing hardship. “We started it quietly,” she explains. “Scripture tells us to give without drawing attention to ourselves, and we took that seriously.” For years, the work happened behind the scenes—furnishing rooms and entire homes for families dealing with medical crises, loss, or other challenges. “We wanted to be sure that when someone received help, there was no question why,” Ann Marie says. “It was never about promoting our store. It was just about doing the right thing.”

Then one day, a customer approached her, saying, “If I had known you were doing this, I would’ve helped. I would’ve donated. I would’ve installed furniture with you.” That moment changed Ann Marie’s view. “She told me, ‘If people had the choice, of course they’d want to do business with someone who’s serving the community.’ And that stayed with me.”

Ann Marie now shares its story to inspire others. “Let’s talk about joyful things. Let’s show people that giving makes a difference,” she says. “If you’re angry, if you’re discouraged, give something away. It fills your heart with joy.” This joy has also transformed her team. “After every Operation Joy install, we stand in a circle, hold hands, and pray,” she says. “My guys have told me how much that means to them. I love giving them the opportunity to experience the blessing of giving, too.”

To date, Operation Joy has helped 30 to 40 families and partnered with ministries like The WellHouse and Sozo Ministries to furnish transitional housing and donate needed pieces.

Ann Marie laughs as she sums it up: “We always say—we’re undercover agents for goodness. Selling furniture is just our cover.” But beneath the lightheartedness is something sacred. “To walk into someone’s home and have the chance to pray with them in their own space—that’s powerful,” she says. “We don’t take that lightly. At the end of the day, we’re here to create beauty, to release peace, and to love people well—one room, one home, one heart at a time.”