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WBM december 2013
and the kitchen was enlarged by
taking in a back porch that ran the
length of the north elevation. But
these are architectural details that
support the lifestyle the Whitesideses
chose for their children: a daughter
and two sons.
“There’s so much for children to
do here,” Arland says. “We’re halfway
between the north and south and half-way
between Banks Channel and the
ocean. We’re right in the middle.”
At ages nine and seven when they
moved to the beach, their boys, Paul
and Benton, were intrepid marine
biologists. Hauling out an old bathtub
from the ground level apartment and
filling it with brackish water, they
set up an ad hoc laboratory. With
net and bucket, they harvested and
observed whatever they fetched from
nearby Banks Channel, or farther
offshore, Masonboro Island. Among
them was a wounded diamondback
terrapin, another was a Portuguese
man-of-war jellyfish. Arland saw to it
the specimens were always returned to
their natural habitat.
During the sailing season, the
Whitesideses, then and now, enter-tain
housefuls of weekend sailors,
sans souci — or without care —
for there is no formal upholstered
furniture in the summer living
room. Rather, it is furnished with a
matched set of pretzel rattan settees
and armchairs, a real find plundered
from a consignment emporium on
Wilmington’s Market Street.
The winter living room is fur-nished
with Arland’s mother’s
antique wing chairs and settees covered
with hand-sewn, cotton drop cloths
inspired by Martha Stewart’s shabby
chic collection, made to withstand the
onslaught of wet dogs, bathing suits
and sunscreened skin. Family style
The transition between old and new
wings is light filled. Hung from burlap,
moss-covered wreaths anchor the
look. Twig reindeer, sprayed silver, are
filled with fresh greens and flowers to
complement the centerpiece.