Date:  August 30, 2024  |   Story: Kathryn O'Shea-Evans  |   Photography: Rett Peek  |   Styling: Hope Johnstone  |  

Neutral style and peak functionality are a winning combination in this Northwest Arkansas renovation

For a family of football fans, this Fayetteville vacation home had a lot going for it—including prime placement near Razorback Stadium. But if it wasn’t game day, there was a lot to be desired. “It was a 1952 home, and the kitchen was from the ‘80s,” says Heidi Burks of K + H Collaborative, whom the family enlisted to revamp the home. “They had a green floor in the kitchen, and the bathroom was connected to a cedar closet that almost felt like it was larger than the bathroom itself,” the design firm’s co-founder Krista
Crouch adds.

More than the cosmetic aspects, the main rooms weren’t functional—especially for a family that needs plenty of entertaining space. “They wanted to host tailgate parties and be the go-to spot before games because they are basically right by the stadium,” Krista says. Not only was the home’s original footprint closed-off and impractical, it also lacked storage. “Beforehand, every room was separated, so there was no cohesiveness and there was no openness,” Heidi says.

To that end, they opened up an existing wall that separated the kitchen and dining rooms to create one expansive space, then added as much storage as they could—tucking in walls of cabinetry and even a double-sided storage shelf within the waterfall island. “Then we made sure that when we did the breakfast nook area, it was by a corner window with lots of natural light pouring in and a view of the magnolia tree out that window,” Krista says. Even the small L-shaped bench has built-in storage. While everything is much more functional, it’s also more beautiful. “Ceiling-to-countertop cabinetry is always great for adding more storage, but also the glass front makes it to where they could bring in their heirlooms and pieces from back home,” Krista says.

Let there Be Light
A shimmering, wavy tile backsplash boosts light in the cookspace. “Even though this is a pretty expansive house and there’s a lot of natural light, the ceilings are low, so we wanted to add even more natural light,” Krista says. The larger scale pendant fixture over the sink makes a statement in lieu of pendants over the island. “It’s like jewelry,” she adds.

Natural Beauty
When their contractor informed them that a sliding door was required at the entrance to the primary bath, the designers opted to create something unexpected. “We wanted it to be fluted and play off what was going on in the L-shaped bench in the breakfast nook and built-in vanity with the same white oak,” Heidi recalls. “It’s very clean-lined, and you can definitely see the wood grain.”

Bathing Beauty
The designers evicted an oversized cedar closet and took the primary bathroom down to its bare bones. This allowed them to rework the entire floor plan to suit the client’s needs with both a walk-in shower and a deep soaking tub, plus a Calacatta marble backsplash and shelf. “We wanted this to be a retreat, an area to relax at the end of the day,” Heidi says.

Layered Luxury
Nothing standard-issue would do in this primary bathroom. “We went with the marble tile and a herringbone pattern on the shower walls,” Heidi says. “It really popped because there’s lots of personality and a lot of movement.”

Design Resources
Contractor Weber Bro’s Construction Interior design Heidi Burks and Krista Crouch,
K + H Collaborative Appliances Metro Appliances & More Cabinetry Brown Custom Cabinets Countertops Pacific Shore Stones Fixtures and mirrors K + H Collaborative Lighting (Kitchen) Lighting Emporium Tile Tom January Floors Rugs Murray Hill Market and Turkish Trunk Window coverings Selah Design Studio