Date:  August 29, 2025  |   Story: Stephanie Maxwell Newton  |   Photography: Rett Peek  |  

In Fort Smith, natural influences and refined luxury set the scene in a primary bath renovation

Gina Clark is no stranger to the world of construction and renovations. Although most of her career has been in commercial design, she loves helping friends with their residences and acted as general contractor when she and her husband, Marty, built their Fort Smith house 20 years ago. The pair didn’t have plans to remodel until Marty made an impromptu art purchase while on vacation in Malibu. “He fell in love with this abstract painting that had these bright fun colors, and I was like, This doesn’t go in our house!” Gina says with a laugh. The painting planted a seed of an idea: With their sons out of the house and two decades having passed since the home was built, maybe it was time to update. “I wanted to lighten everything up and make it a little brighter—still very livable and our vibe, but it was just time to start over,” she says.

Gina touched every room of the house during the 9-month renovation. She updated flooring, lightened wall colors, and, inspired by the new painting, integrated more color through art and accessories. The project culminated in the primary bathroom, which received a complete overhaul. “The goal was to have a very tranquil, spa-type feeling,” Gina says. She also wanted to bring the outdoors in, both with natural light and through nature-inspired details.

First, the designer replaced a whirlpool, deck-style bath with a timeless soaker tub surrounded with white rocks, an idea she picked up from the family’s travels to seaside escapes in Greece and Italy. “It makes me feel like I’m in the middle of a tranquil garden,” Gina says of the effect. The natural world also comes through in a chandelier that evokes tree branches and crystals, a favorite piece she has moved around the house over the years.

In the shower, removing a wall and adding a frameless glass window allows natural light into what was formerly a closed-off space. A slab of “Blue Roma” quartzite, a statement-making stone with deep brown veining, was chosen for one wall, while a basketweave pattern on the floor and ceiling tile adds a sense of sophistication.

For the vanity, Gina played off the existing wood trim to enhance the room’s welcoming feel. “When everything is white, you lose some of the depth and warmth,” she says. A 12-foot singular piece of rosewood was cut to create the drawer fronts so its grain would be uninterrupted, while “Calacatta Macchia Vecchia” marble used on the countertops further elevates the space. Fluted wood detailing gives additional interest on the wall, and a Visual Comfort light bursting with butterflies adds a bit of whimsy to the space.

With a mix of masculine tones and feminine touches, the Clarks’ new primary bath is a place they’ll be able to enjoy for years to come. “Sometimes it was hard for Marty to see the big picture, but I was like, Please just wait and see when it’s totally finished,” Gina recalls. “When I came home one night a month or two after we’d finished, I couldn’t find him. He was in the tub with candles lit and said, I feel like I’m at the spa! That made me totally happy.”

Soak It All In
A large arched window over the tub echoes the barrel ceiling and lets in natural light. When more privacy is desired, a discreet set of translucent blinds is at the ready. The planter is a find Gina scored on a trip to Round Top, Texas, and a painting by North Carolina artist Windy O’Connor brings in that burst of color integral to the home’s transformation. The back wall and ceiling are hand-painted with a light silver glaze to give the space a touch of shimmer.

Streamlined quartz sconces were chosen for the vanity for their subtle sophistication. “They give off this soft glow and don’t take away from what else is going on in the room, but provide ambiance,” Gina says.

Large-scale tiles in “Bianco Dolomite” marble cover the shower walls and bathroom floor, providing a simple backdrop for standout elements such as the statement stones and basketweave details. His-and-hers shower heads (one of which is shown here) are customized to Gina and Marty’s heights.

“For any project, it helps when you have good, talented subs and work with people who also want to do creative things.”
—Gina Clark

Design Resources
Interior design Gina Clark, Curtis Clark Design Cabinetry Edgar Cabinets Countertops Majestic Marble & Granite Fixtures Ferguson Plumbing Supply Flooring Sharum Tile and Marble Framing and mirrors Allison Sales Co. Lighting Lighting Emporium Millwork and painting Holwick Construction Paint Sherwin-Williams