Date: November 15, 2013 | Story: Tiffany Burgess Adams | Styling: Mandy Keener |
Warm and welcoming spaces along with personalized accents create an inspiring family home in Little Rock
Inviting spaces, clean lines and uncomplicated patterns were just what this Little Rock family was looking for when they decided to refresh their home’s décor to reflect their casual lifestyle. “A less is more approach was what the client had in mind for the home’s design and seasonal décor,” says Jennifer Huett, interior designer and owner of Hot Springs’ House to Home. Huett, who worked on multiple rooms in the home as well as the holiday décor, was inspired by the family’s children—“they are so full of life,” she says—as well as the clients’ love of color, especially turquoise.
Using these cues, she started the home’s makeover with the teenage daughter’s bedroom. “All girls seem to start out with sweet pink rooms with lace, and then when they become teenagers they are ready for something a bit more grown-up,” explains Huett. Two pop-art-style canvases became the color inspiration for the bold space. From there, Huett mixed vivid shades of orange with a brilliant turquoise throughout the room, even finding the perfect Stray Dog Designs chandelier to complement the hues. Knowing that a place for “girl talk” was a top priority for teens, Huett included a velvet settee as well as an armchair to offer plenty of space for friends to hangout and chat. To add holiday flair, a tinsel tree—which is also a nod to the room’s mod undertones—provides holiday cheer without overwhelming the space.
Not to be overshadowed by his older sister, the client’s son was also eager to have a new personalized space. “We wanted to come up with something just as awesome for his room and the ‘Gage’ sign was perfect. He actually jumped up and down on the bed in excitement the first time he saw it,” laughs Huett. In juxtaposition to the bright lights, a simple pine tree and a pair of sweater-cable cone trees add just a hint of Christmas to his room.
While the kids love their new bedrooms, they also enjoy spending time together and both children love to draw. To encourage this creativity, their parents wanted a designated place where they could sketch, paint and make crafts together—and, of course, they wanted it to have personality. Turning again to a cool color palette and whimsical features, Huett designed a casual, carefree craft room. The centerpiece of the room is a custom-made, counter-height table. Knowing the workspace would have to be durable, she had the table covered with a hard, enamel lacquer which allows paint, chalk and marker to wipe clean easily. Framed prints of the children’s artwork line the walls, while labeled bins, jars and boxes neatly store supplies. Since crafts are such a big part of many holiday traditions, Huett felt it was important to also extend the cheery seasonal décor into this space. A yarn-wrapped tree adorned with bird-shaped ornaments looks as if it could have been crafted in this very space, while a sparkling “snow-dusted” house and tree add a wintry effect.
Of course, with an active family it’s also important to have a retreat for the parents to recharge and relax. Soft linens (Huett describes them as “scrumptious”) from Bella Notte are sophisticated enough to signal this space as the master bedroom, while still providing comfort. “The adult spaces are a bit more traditional. They help to balance the pattern and colors throughout the house to make it flow,” adds Huett.
For the living area and dining room, designer Josh Plumlee of Cobblestone & Vine used a similar philosophy, which creates a sense of continuity throughout the home. “We were going for a classic, but not expected look,” he says of the two adjoining rooms which feature a harmonious blend of textures coupled with a variety of neutral hues. Although these spaces appear more formal than the home’s bedrooms, the materials and layout still lend themselves to comfort and conversation. For example, Plumlee intentionally chose two sofas and placed them opposite one another in the living area to encourage togetherness as well as relaxation.
To carry the spirit of the season into the receiving areas of the house, the homeowners consulted Chris Olsen and Cyndi Yeager of Botanica Gardens. Veering from a traditional palette and playing off the colors used throughout the home, Olsen and Yeager choose to go with a natural “fresh from the woods” design with bright pops of orange woven throughout the scheme. Owls, which the client already owned, were a natural addition, giving a bit of charisma to the woodland scene. The design pair also chose to break up the mantle display, grounding it with a large arrangement on each end, rather than one continuous garland or display. “We didn’t want to drown the home in Christmas, but rather make it feel like we went out into the woods and pulled a few select pieces,” says Olsen of the end result.
Design Resources
Holiday décor—dining room and kitchen Jennifer Huett, House to Home, Hot Springs, (501) 520-4949, shophousetohome.com
Holiday décor—living room, dining room and kitchen Chris Olsen and Cyndi Yeager, Botanica Gardens, Little Rock, (501) 614-3000, botanicagardens.com, chrisholsen.com
Interior design and holiday decor—children’s rooms, craft room, playroom, master bedroom Jennifer Huett, House to Home, Hot Springs, (501) 520-4949, shophousetohome.com
Interior design—living room and dining room Joshua Plumlee, Cobblestone & Vine, Little Rock, (501) 663-4249, West Little Rock, (501) 219-3676, cobblestoneandvine.com
Accessories, art, bedding, furniture, lighting, rugs and window treatments— children’s rooms, craft room, playroom and master bedroom House to Home, Hot Springs, (501) 520-4949, shophousetohome.com
Accessories, art, furniture, rugs and window treatments—living room, dining room and kitchen Cobblestone & Vine, Little Rock, (501) 663-4249, West Little Rock, (501) 219-3676, cobblestoneandvine.com
