Date:  July 23, 2012  |   Story: Kathleen Bridges  |   Styling: Diane Carroll  |  

Two floors above the downtown Fayetteville square, Ted and Leslie Belden are settling in for a family movie night. Leslie’s curled up on the sofa with the couple’s five-year-old grandson, Hayden; Ted is relaxing in an upholstered armchair nearby. As the opening credits roll, a quick flick of a switch lights a terra-cotta fire pit nestled into the seating area, and the family catches a glimpse of the sunset through the terrace hedges.

It may be on a roof, and it may be a deck, but to call the Beldens’ recently renovated outdoor living space simply a roof deck would be an understatement. When the couple moved into Fayetteville’s historic Campbell-Bell building 10 years ago, the empty nesters were delighted to trade yard work for the ease of city living.  But as their daughters’ young families started to grow, the Beldens knew they needed a more family-oriented retreat.

“What we wanted most dearly was an outdoor space to enjoy with our family,” says Leslie, “a place where our grandkids could go out and spill their juice and ride a tricycle.”

Luckily, their original space had great bones, including a custom pergola, a grilling area and panoramic views of Fayetteville’s rolling hills. But years of intense sunlight had taken a toll on the pine decking, and the terrace’s openness—though great for catching sunsets—provided little escape from the elements. 

 “The necessities were more shade and a softer, safer flooring for the grandkids,” says exterior designer Daniel Keeley, who installed a tented pavilion and swapped out the faded pine for low-maintenance recycled composite decking. 

 From there, the wish list expanded quickly, says Leslie: “We thought, ‘If we’re going to have a tent, why not an outdoor TV? And maybe a hot tub. And what about adding a fountain?’”

Since the Beldens often host community fundraisers and events, Keeley’s plan incorporated functional zones—a dining space, an outdoor kitchen, a TV area, a space for the hot tub, a tented seating area—all divided by what the designer deems a traffic lane. To marry the space with the home’s interior, Keeley mirrored architectural elements and color palettes already in place in the condo, and brought in luxe interior-quality, yet outdoor-friendly, accents and trimmings.

“The bench cushion is exterior-grade faux ostrich,” says Keeley, who also used Caesarstone for the countertops and imported exterior-ready floor lamps from Europe.  “My goal is always to make the space as much an extension of the indoors as possible. By piecing together indoors-style elements from different places, we’re able to create a sophisticated, eclectic look.”

Though the 1,000-square-foot terrace definitely comes in handy during football season, it’s evenings spent on the deck with the family that have truly made this house a home. “It’s the last little bit of icing on the cake that is living on the square,” says Leslie. “It’s more than a balcony, it’s urban living at its best.”

Design Resources

Design, furnishings Daniel Keeley, DK Design, Fayetteville, (479) 443-9002, dkdesignoutdoor.com

Contractor Doyle Morrison Construction, West Fork, (479) 790-3979, traymorrison.com

Art Jake Aslin, Fayetteville, (479) 225-6369, jakeaslin.com

Audio-visual system AV Design Consultants, Springdale, (479) 365-2201, avdci.com

Mirrored glass Fayetteville Glass Co., Inc., Fayetteville, (479) 442-8181, fayettevilleglasscompany.com

Painting Mike James Painting, Rogers, (479) 841-6567

Retractable awnings Don’s Canopies & Metal Products, Rogers, (479) 636-5586 

Window frames Razorback Ironworks, Fayetteville, (479) 444-0045