Date:  November 3, 2025  |   Story: Tiffany Adams  |   Photography: Rett Peek  |  

Lefler Teeter Designs helps a Bentonville family create a home that mixes charm, comfort, and color

A private, wooded lot next door to dear friends and a 7-minute commute to downtown Bentonville were a few of the things this property had going for it when these homeowners learned it was for sale. However, the “faux log cabin” that occupied its footprint didn’t read forever home. “I was like No; That’s going to be a lot of work,” the owner recalls. With her husband having a vision and promising to fix it up, the couple and their three children made the move.

However, they soon discovered “fixing up” the place was more involved than they could have imagined. With windows that leaked when it rained, plumbing that didn’t function properly, mold on sheetrock, and a set of stairs that weren’t up to code, the thought of plans for an entirely new structure began to look more and more appealing. Not wanting to waste the home’s usable elements, they sold what they could on Facebook Marketplace before moving into a rental home and tearing down the cabin. “We even let our kids hit baseballs through the windows and take sledgehammers to the walls,” the owner says of the decision that involved the entire family.

In the same way, plans for the new house considered not only the parents’ needs but also the kids’—at this stage of life and down the road. “I looked at this new build as our forever home,” the homeowner says. “We wanted it to be a place our kids can come back to once they have families—that was always my goal. It had to be comfortable and not too fancy.” They started with a modified Southern Living house plan and conversations with their builders, Dana and Bill Lessly of Tall Oaks Construction, before bringing on interior designers Erin Lefler and Meghan Teeter of Lefler Teeter Designs. “I can get overwhelmed with decisions, and that led me to Meghan and Erin,” the owner explains.

The couple filled the designers in on their desire for a timeless home where no room or space was wasted and everything had a function. “I wanted the house to look like it had been here and not like a cookie-cutter house. My concern about a new build was that it would be flat and not have layers,” the owner says. Meghan and Erin solved for this with numerous architectural details, including wainscoting and detailed trimwork in several spaces, furniture-style legs on the island, and a coffered ceiling that spans the kitchen and great room. Additionally, they pointed them toward classic colors, patterns, and finishes for a traditional-over-trendy feel. “She’s drawn to soft, subtle colors, so all of the color is layered rather than loud to speak to that,” Erin says. “Since these decisions are hard for me, I didn’t want to have to change it up any time soon,” the owner notes.

Above: In the entry, a contemporary lacquered grasscloth console and art from Lindsay Letters pairs with a French chair upholstered in a buttery yellow leather, a find from Roy Dudley Estate Sales.

All the Comforts
An open floor plan connects the great room to the kitchen, breakfast nook, and dining room with defining architectural features like the coffered ceiling and stone fireplace. An asymmetrical design allows for storage on one side of the fireplace. “We have a rule that if you have bookshelves, you must use books to fill at least part of it,” Erin says with a laugh. She notes ginger jars, family photos, and small pieces of art are a few of their other favorite pieces to display in built-ins. A low-back sofa that doesn’t obstruct the view from the front door to the backyard and swivel chairs that allow for easy conversation between rooms create a comfortable space for the family. The leather ottoman is a custom piece on casters, which allow it to migrate around the room easily. Underfoot, a handknotted wool rug is a durable selection that also brings in soft color.

“She is drawn to a look that has English and traditional influences.”
—Meghan Teeter, designer

Heart of the Home
“The kitchen was a huge priority,” Meghan says, with features like an expanse of windows that allow them to see out across the land being key to the design. A “light but not white” palette speaks to the couple’s desire to bring character at every turn. The soft taupe on the cabinetry pairs with quartz countertops that give the look of natural stone without the maintenance, while a cream-colored backsplash has the appearance of handthrown clay. Additionally, Meghan and Erin mixed the hardware styles, using egg knobs, cup pulls, latches, and linear pulls all in one uniting brass finish, to create the feel of a space that has evolved over time.

Casual Dining
Meghan and Erin sourced a round, stone-top table for the square-shaped breakfast room. “We liked how its dark top plays off the windows,” Meghan notes. A Schumacher wallpaper brings a sense of playfulness and mixes with a collection of majolica plates that are artfully hung on top of the pattern. “We love a plate wall and kept this as an abstract installation so she can add to it as the collection grows,” Meghan says.

A Mix of Old & Bold
With the dining room located off the home’s front entry, both the designers and homeowners liked the idea of a statement pattern on the wall. Meghan notes the Thibaut wallcovering introduces strawberry and magenta hues while also tying together all the colors within the home. The bold print is paired with a beloved dining suite the couple have had since the early days of their marriage. Meghan and Erin reupholstered the chair seats with an easy-to-clean leather and the backs with a soft cut chenille for a look that is in line with the new home’s palette and presence.

A Place for Retreat
During the planning stages, the couple opted to move the primary bedroom to the front of the home, allowing them to take in an everchanging view of the property and the rolling landscape beyond. To this point, they kept the furnishings neutral. “We wanted to create a calm and luxurious space,” Meghan says, pointing to features like the carpeted floor, Annie Selke bedding, and unobtrusive light fixture. The primary bath’s soaking tub is framed by a Roman shade in a light blue Schumacher fabric and a handknotted rug that incorporates many of the hues seen around the house. An antique side table and ceramic tile that has the look of natural limestone add to the space’s character.

“I have always wanted a Murphy bed,” the homeowner says of the useful feature tucked behind the office’s built-in shelving. Used primarily as workspace for her husband, the room’s design speaks to his bend toward clean lines and simplicity with artful touches—as evidenced in the prints by Arkansas artist George Dombek.

A landing at the top of the stairs is a communal gathering space for the couple’s three children to play board and video games.

Rather than positioning the primary outdoor space on the back of the house, the couple selected a plan that has a fireplace and outdoor living area on the front porch, allowing them to take advantage of the property’s best vantage points.

Design Resources
Builder Dana and Bill Lessly, Tall Oaks Construction Interior design Erin Lefler and Meghan Teeter, Lefler Teeter Designs Accessories Daisies & Olives, Haven, Somewhere in Time, and Southern Mercantile Appliances Metro Appliances & More Bedding Cobblestone & Vine Cabinetry Country Cabinets Countertops New Century Countertops Fabrics Fabric Gallery Fireplace NWA Cast Stone Fixtures Plumb Perfect Flooring M&M Tile Furniture & Rugs Abide and Lefler Teeter Designs Lighting Lefler Teeter Designs Mirrors Bentonville Glass and Lefler Teeter Designs Tile (bathroom) Tom January Floors Tile (kitchen) Townzen Tile Upholstery Joe Ellis Upholstery