McKinsie Ortegon, an interior designer from Castle Pines and founder of House by McKarthur Designs, is one of 150 designers selected nationwide to help decorate the White House for Christmas this year, according to a KDVR (FOX31 Denver) report. The designers were chosen from a pool of about 15,000 applicants and will be split into teams, each assigned to different rooms.
"I literally cannot believe it"
Ortegon applied in August and assumed her odds were slim. "I was actually selected to decorate the White House for Christmas this year! I literally cannot believe it," she said, according to the report.
She nearly missed the news entirely. When the selection letter arrived in the mail, she mistook it for junk mail and threw it away. It wasn't until weeks later that she realized the invitation was genuine. "I can't believe I almost threw away this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!" she said.
A moment that grew from a hard season
Ortegon's interest in holiday decorating traces back to a difficult period for her family. Her son Briggs was born during the COVID-19 shutdown and was later diagnosed with a rare skin condition. She began decorating their home to bring holiday joy to the family during that time. "Sometimes the most beautiful things can come from the most challenging seasons of your life," she said.
She plans to travel to Washington, D.C., for the decorating work. The 2026 display theme had not been announced as of the report. "I hope we can get some Colorado flair into these trees!" Ortegon said.
For more on what's happening around Castle Pines, see our Castle Pines directory. And for more ways to celebrate the season locally, see our Douglas County holiday events guide.
Source: KDVR (FOX31 Denver), "Castle Pines woman selected to decorate White House for Christmas," by Christine Noël, republished via Yahoo, dated Oct. 31, 2026. Fetched Oct. 31, 2026.