Historic home’s roots in city of Everson’s past
Elegant, livable home is central to Multop family
by Hilary Parker


Known by family simply as the “brown house,” Phil and Melanie Multop’s Everson home has a modest exterior and a unique history.
Built in 1942, Everson City Clerk Marion Beebe ran the city’s business out of what is today the Multop’s dining room. The large flagpole in the front yard pays tribute to the building’s civic past.
When Phil, owner of Multop & Associates financial services, bought the house in 1976 the home was not released from service as a business – he ran his accounting business from the tiny 200-square-foot front room that now does duty as the guest bedroom. In fact, the property is still zoned as commercial.
Phil’s business soon outgrew his home office. He then moved to Lynden, followed by the Bellingham Business Park before settling in to the Multop financial team’s Calluna Court office in Bellingham’s Cordata area.
Today, the Multop home office simply occupies one corner of the family’s great room, which accounts for the majority of a 1,200-square-foot addition made in 1989. It was the second remodel to the home, the first being in 1982.
“We talk every so often about building our dream home,” says Melanie, “but we always come back to this layout.”
With the exception of the Multop’s two boys’ shared upstairs bedroom, the house is one level. The central kitchen is steps away from the living room or the large back deck, a favorite summertime hangout. The great room/family den is also within earshot, a plus for Melanie when she’s wearing her “mom” hat.
“I love the floor plan because I can be in the kitchen getting dinner and hear what’s going on,” she says.
And when Melanie puts on her “hostess” hat, about twice a month, the dining room is right around the corner, too. The family of four comfortably fit around the dining room table, which easily expands with two leaves to seat 12. It’s one of Melanie’s favorite features of the home for entertaining.
On special occasions she brings out the vintage Wedgewood china she received six years ago from her great aunt. The beautiful turquoise and white china is adorned with a delicately sketched leaf pattern. The full set, including serving dishes, comes complete with a cigarette box.
After dinner, guests may retire to the great room for a rousing sing-along with the Pioneer karaoke system or settle in on the leather couches to watch a movie on the 52-inch television. Whether choosing audio or visual, the Pioneer stereo and Infinity surround-sound speakers will rock your world.
Entering the great room, painted in a warm rust color, the eye is immediately drawn to the large family portrait on the back wall. Taken in 2001, the year after the Multops opened their Cordata office, the family is posed in an open field near Cordata wearing old-time western garb.
Phil’s upbringing in Huston flavors the great room with cowboy sensibility. The Mission-style recliner is covered in cowhide, the coffee- and end-tables topped with distressed leather. Lone stars accent the room as part of the sconces, trivets on the wood stove and as cabinetry pulls. Great vases of curling willow from the couple’s front yard lend a wild touch of the Wild West.
Everson isn’t quite the Wild West, but it is a world away from the city, something that appeals to the Multops.
Their commute to and from work seems like a journey for those who live and work in Bellingham, but it has its advantages, Melanie says. The drive home gives them time to decompress and leave work at work. Plus, they’re not tempted to run errands in town at night, leaving that time for family.
“Being self-employed, if we lived closer to [our business], who knows, we might go back in the evening,” she said.
Conversely, Melanie and Phil have worked to make their office a place they like to be. “You do things at your office so that it’s comfortable. It’s like an extension of you and your home,” she said.
Next project on Melanie’s list is to update the kitchen. She’s worked with Mona Porter of Picture Perfect Decorating on other decorating projects at home and the office. Mona’s vision for the kitchen includes a warm caramel color on the walls to replace the 1989 wallpaper. And Melanie wants to include a dark, granite-look countertop. The changes will give the kitchen a contemporary feel without abandoning the home’s 1940s roots.
“If I were to go high tech and metro it wouldn’t fit the house,” said Melanie.
And it’s apparent that the house fits the Multops just fine the way it is. It’s simply stated charm complements the home’s humble beginnings and reflects the Multop’s priorities: home and business must coexist, and family vacations are a must.
“We love to travel and we put a lot of money back into our business,” says Melanie.
And the “brown house” is everything their boys could want, as summed up by the card her 9-year-old son gave his parents at Thanksgiving: “Thank you Mom and Dad for working so hard so we can live in this cozy house.”

The Multop’s sons Matthew, age 10, and Austin, age 6, share the large upstairs bedroom. Each boy has his own sleeping area, plus a spacious shared playroom.	The home’s large back deck is an extension of the living space come summer.
The guest bedroom has the feel of a room at a bed and breakfast. In it’s former life, Phil ran his accounting business from the room.	The great room doubles as the home theater. “We can’t even stand going to the theater anymore,” raves Melanie. The universal remote (inset left) is the brains of the theater system.