Date:  May 1, 2024  |   Story: Tiffany Adams  |   Photography: Rett Peek  |   Styling: Lauren Cerrato  |  

Designer Melanie Siegel channels Art Deco design and New York City influence into her Little Rock condo

Downtown Little Rock’s historic Lafayette Building has always held intrigue for Conway residents Melanie and Bill Siegel. They went in with their daughter to purchase their first condominium in the complex when she moved to the city after college and have since bought, renovated, and sold several apartments within the building. But there was one they envisioned as a long-term retreat—a top floor unit with sunset views of the city. “I grew up in Magnolia but Bill is from New York City. For an urbanite, this is his ‘lake house,’” Melanie explains.

As a designer who specializes in renovations and space planning, the opportunity to make the condo their own intrigued Melanie, and the timing seemed meant to be as both of the couple’s children (and their grandchildren!) now call Little Rock home. They started by evaluating their needs and considering updates that would streamline the getaway. For example, with their most-frequent guests already living in the city, a combination den and office made more sense for the couple than a second bedroom. In the kitchen, a catty-corner island and diagonally placed stove were realigned to create clean lines reflective of the couple’s style and to maximize the view of the city.

Although the Lafayette, which originally served as a 300-room hotel, was built in the Renaissance Revival style, it was completed in 1925 at the peak of the Art Deco movement. This along with Bill’s roots in New York—a city marked by the style—prompted Melanie to celebrate the period in finishes and furnishings. Notably, the celestial motifs seen on the wallpaper of the living room ceiling and coordinating wall mural were inspired by the original Cloud Club at the top of the Chrysler Building, which Melanie notes is an Art Deco icon. “Bill’s father worked in The Empire State Building, so we also used that as inspiration,” she adds.

In the baths, the designer was able to incorporate a feature that pays tribute to the period as well as the Lafayette. The top floor of the building served as a ballroom during its heyday. One day Melanie opened the door to a communal hallway closet to find a surprise underfoot—remnants of the room’s original tile. “I thought, This is it; this is the missing piece,” the designer says. Local vendor American Restoration Tile was able to recreate the design for use in both bathrooms.

The retreat is a departure from the Siegels’ primary residence’s look, which Melanie describes as a “New England farmhouse-style home that is very colorful and casual.” However, the sophisticated city condo also holds deep meaning with links to the couple’s past as well as their future as they create new memories with their family.

Condo Configuration

BEFORE

1. An angled island created awkward traffic flow and encroached on available dining space.
2. An unnecessary peninsula of cabinetry made the kitchen feel smaller than it is.
3. Two sets of closet doors made this small storage space more difficult to navigate.

AFTER

4. Relocating the sink to a window makes kitchen chores more scenic.
5. More play space was a higher priority than guest quarters, so the second bedroom became a den.
6. Removing a corner tub created space for a double vanity in the main bathroom.

All the Right Angles
Eliminating unneeded cabinetry allowed Melanie to reimagine the flow of the kitchen, creating an L-shaped workspace along its perimeter. In what she recalls as a pivotal moment, she relocated the sink from the island to a space under the kitchen windows, which offers sunset views of downtown while sudsing dinner plates. To further streamline the room, the awkwardly angled island was replaced with an open-shelving furniture piece that sits squarely in the center of the space. Decorative English Flemish glass from Soos Stained Glass adds character to the cabinetry above the range.

Melanie specified the narrow walnut floors to have a look authentic to the building’s original era. A geometric backsplash with a slight glimmer also plays into the time period inspiration.

Sky-high Feel
Bradbury & Bradbury’s “Stardust” wallpaper, which is a re-creation of the pattern used in The Cloud Club atop the Art Deco-style Chrysler Building, covers the ceiling of the gathering spaces. The celestial theme is mimicked in a mural on the side wall. The curved back, white twill sofa reminded the designer of a high-end version she had seen years prior, while the green one was a birthday gift that Bill purchased for Melanie after she admired it in the window at Cantrell Furniture Design Center. Black trim and window casings as well as the semicircle design of the rug add to the graphic appeal.

A walnut table from HOWSE pairs with bentwood chairs in the dining area. Melanie sourced the vintage chairs from 2Brothers (formerly Two Brothers Salvage) and had them recovered in an easy-to-clean vinyl.

Bar accessories are conveniently stored on a cart between the living and dining rooms. Each cover of The New Yorker in the grid has personal significance to the couple. The black door opens to the newly built pantry, a feature that keeps countertops clear and offers additional storage.

Deep Dreams
A rich-hued wall color (“Steel Wool” by Benjamin Moore) was the starting point for the couple’s bedroom, with blue and copper accents helping to create a warm environment. As in other spaces, the bed, walnut dresser, and brass finishes are all subtle nods to the home’s Art Deco inspiration. See the “before” below.

“I love to walk downtown, pop in to shop next door at Bella Vita Jewelry, and grab dinner at nearby restaurants.”
—Melanie Siegel, designer and homeowner

Style & Space Upgrade
In the primary bath, the layout was completely reworked. A soffit was eliminated to raise the ceiling, and a cramped tub was removed to give space for a vanity with dual sinks. On the opposite wall, the shower was modernized with seamless glass and the building’s signature ballroom flooring that was re-created for the renovation. The subway tile on the backsplash and shower wall is from the same supplier used by the New York City Subway, another nod to the couple’s love of The Big Apple.

Purposeful Refresh
In the bedroom-turned-den, Melanie opted to bring in more color. The exposed brick column was added by the designer; she picked out a random assortment of bricks, had them installed, and weathered them with her own paint process to make the accent feel original to the structure. Pieces such as the vintage floor lamp, a ceiling mobile, and a photograph Melanie took in Latvia further personalize the room. The walls are painted “Palladian Blue” by Benjamin Moore.

Design Resources
Contractor Danny Cox, Home Run Remodeling Interior design Melanie Siegel, MSiegel Design Brick Antique Brick & Block Cabinetry Kitchen & Bath Ideas Countertops Alpha Countertops Doors (pantry) Kaufman Lumber Framing BA Framer Furniture 2Brothers, Cantrell Furniture Design Center, Cobblestone & Vine, HOWSE, and Midtown Vintage Market Glass Soos Stained Glass Paint Benjamin Moore Painting (decorative) Art by Jessica Jones Tile (Kitchen) The Tile Shop Tile (Bath) American Restoration Tile Wallpaper (installation) Mike Mace