Date:  May 1, 2024  |   Story: Rebekah Hall Scott  |   Photography: Rett Peek  |   Styling: Stephanie Maxwell Newton  |  

At his home in Fayetteville, Daniel Keeley packs a bold punch in a small space with tropically inspired patterns and colors

Quality over quantity is important to landscape designer Daniel Keeley, who sold his previous home (featured in the October 2013 issue of At Home in Arkansas) before purchasing another cottage that he’d been eyeing on the same block. “I’d much rather have something of quality that’s finished and smaller, than have some big sprawling house or land that I’m never going to be able to finish,” he says.

Daniel designed his previous house with the intention of never selling, so the space was tailored to his more masculine, serene style. But in the new home, which is almost identical in size, he decided to experiment with color and playful patterns. “I wanted it to be 180 degrees opposite of the last house,” he says. “I wanted to have fun with it, and I love it.”

For this abode, which Daniel and his husband, Garrit, renovated from top to bottom, the couple were inspired by the airy atmosphere of South Florida. “I am not a huge color person usually, so I wanted to bust out of that box a little bit,” Daniel says. “I was thinking of Palm Beach and that light, airy vibe.” They had the hardwood floors painted in “Argos” by Sherwin-Williams, a treatment that Daniel admits he has long been interested in but never had the opportunity to try. A palette of pinks, blues, and terracottas with touches of brass weaves throughout the home, contributing to the overall beach-meets-cottage appeal of the design.

Some of the home’s most significant indoor upgrades were in the bathroom and kitchen, where Daniel made an effort to use budget-friendly materials that don’t compromise on style. “In my last house, the countertops were granite and had a full granite backsplash up to the cabinets,” Daniel says of the kitchen. “I knew I didn’t want to spend that much money, so the tile backsplash was much less expensive—and fun.” Butcher block countertops were another affordable replacement for the kitchen’s counters. Savings in these areas meant the couple could splurge on more structural changes­­—such as walling off a kitchen window to create a more centered placement for the range.

For the landscape designer, transforming the home’s exterior and outdoor living spaces was also a priority. “It really had almost no landscaping—there was a dying maple tree in the front, and that was about it,” Daniel says. “I wanted the front yard to feel like a cottage garden. I’m always going to have some sort of fence or hedge, and a gate towards the street so the yard becomes a room of its own. I wanted it to be lighthearted and simple.”

Cozy Cottage
For his “bright and cute little cottage,” Daniel wanted to create the sense of an inviting outdoor room in the front yard. “The fence helps give it framework, which is important to making it feel enclosed like a room,” he says. “I wanted it to be simple and low maintenance, but with curb appeal.” Boxwoods also add structure, and Daniel says there is nearly year-round color, including ‘Encore’ azaleas, which bloom twice a year.

Curated for Conversation
In the living room, a pink velvet sofa and textured slipper chairs, which can be pushed together to use as a settee, provide ample seating. An iron side table with gold coating and tree branch details is a carryover from Daniel’s last house. “I reused very little from the previous house, but that table was one thing I really liked,” he says. “I like things that reference the outdoors or the garden that are made for inside.”

Bursts of Blue
The kitchen’s range hood was painted the same blue as the bathroom ceiling, a decision that Daniel says came after some trial and error. “We painted that hood three different times,” he says. “First it was white, then it was navy, then we finally settled on that blue. I had already picked out the tile, and if you look really closely, it has little tiny specks of that same color.” The hood is painted “Resolute Blue” by Sherwin-Williams.

“I wanted it to be lighthearted and simple.”
—Daniel Keeley, designer and homeowner

Brass finishes, including the commercial-style faucet and textured cabinet pulls, fill the kitchen.

Fun and Funky
For the small dining area, Daniel used a reproduction of a Knoll table from the 1960s, which had previously been in his office. Bistro-style chairs with woven caned backs, which were made for outdoor use, pull up along with a bench beneath the window. A navy ceiling lamp with gold discs fit the vibe Daniel wanted throughout the house. “It’s a little bit funky, and it’s a little bit feminine,” he says.

Touch of Tropic
Plaster urns with fiddle leaf ficuses flank the bar, a teak sideboard that was also originally intended for outdoor use. Providing additional symmetry are two custom lamps Daniel had made at The Shade Above in Little Rock. “I had a vision for what I wanted but just couldn’t find it, and I went in there and they had two jars that were exactly what I was looking for,” he says. An original work by Daniel’s friend, artist Jack Henry, incorporates all the colors seen in this pass-through space.

Craving Color
The bathroom was the first room in the house to be renovated, and Daniel says the color palette inspired his choices in the rest of the home. A pair of shower curtains hung from the ceiling makes the 8-foot walls appear taller while also elevating the style of the space. In addition to painting the walls and ceiling, a new tub, plumbing fixtures, and tile on both the floor and surround gave the room a whole new look. Replacing a pedestal sink with a marble-topped vanity provided storage and necessary counterspace.

The walls of the bathroom are painted “Alyssum” by Sherwin-Williams.

Relaxing Retreat
“Muted and masculine is what we were going for, just a little simpler,” Daniel says of the bedroom. Neutral bedding repurposed from his previous house helped set the palette, and an upholstered headboard was a necessity for Daniel. “That was to elevate the look,” he says. “I don’t mind a bed in front of windows, but if it didn’t have a headboard, I feel like it would look a bit amateur.” A sisal rug, brass reading lamp, and bedside vignette complete the space.

Collected Corner
In the corner of the second bedroom, which Daniel and Garrit use as an office and secondary den, an antique Louis Philippe secretary steals the show. “It came from French Metro Antiques, and I just think it’s absolutely wonderful,” Daniel says. Atop it, an antique French drawing cozies up to a carved wood urn. The art hanging over the settee is a piece of macro photography done by one of Daniel’s friends.

Outdoor Oasis
As a landscape designer, Daniel was excited to completely reimagine the entire backyard. “There was nothing back here,” he says of the existing property. While the exterior of his former house was painted a dark gray, Daniel chose Benjamin Moore’s “Cloud White” for this home. “I knew from experience not to paint something too crisp on the outside because the sun is so blinding, and it can kind of end up looking cheap,” he says. Beyond the deck, a firepit (which, when covered, acts as a coffee table) invites conversation every season of the year.

A trio of cobalt blue planters features (from left) pink dipladenia, pink pentas, and ‘Kimberly Queen’ fern with white vinca.

Perfect Perch
A corner of the new deck hosts what Daniel says is a French-inspired bench and set of bistro chairs for hosting guests or enjoying an evening cocktail.

Design Resources
Interior and landscape design Daniel Keeley, DK Design Accessories and art Cobblestone & Vine and French Metro Antiques Bedding and outdoor finishing DK Design Flooring and tile Flooring America by CarpetSmart Furniture Bassett Furniture, DK Design, and French Metro Antiques Ironwork (awnings) Razorback Tent & Awning Windows and doors Encore Building Products Window coverings Pottery Barn