Date:  August 1, 2025  |   Story: Stephanie Maxwell Newton  |   Photography: Rett Peek  |   Styling: Tiffany Adams  |  

A Little Rock couple breathes new life into their almost-100-year-old property to create a charming, personalized family home

A major renovation wasn’t the plan when Jessica and David Koehler started house hunting several years ago. With a 3-year-old son and a daughter on the way, they were looking for a new, more spacious home, ideally one that was move-in ready. But when Jessica came across this 1928 Colonial in Little Rock’s Heights neighborhood, she was instantly smitten. “We love this part of the neighborhood because of all the trees. It’s old, and it feels historic,” she says. While the exterior was love at first sight, the
interiors needed major TLC—both general updates, like redoing the hardwood floors, and upgrades to make the house more suited to the soon-to-be family of four. “We weren’t really looking for a project, but we couldn’t pass it up,” Jessica says.

Because the structure’s history was something the Koehlers treasured, it was important to them to hire professionals who could help bring their vision to life while staying true to the character of the home. Jessica invited three contractors—including Nathan Cooper of River Valley Builders, whom she ultimately hired—to walk through the property with her before even putting an offer on the house. Interior designer Talena Ray, who was still an owner of Providence Design at the time, also met the couple at an early site visit and joined the renovation team. Having worked with Jessica’s parents for years, Talena felt like she already knew her client well. “During this project I went through her whole pregnancy with her; I almost felt like a second grandmother,” the designer says. “I love interiors and fabrics and wallpaper, but spatial concepts, like how to lay out furniture, I cannot do that,” Jessica says with a laugh. “I was so glad to have Talena and the Providence team on board.” Additionally, having both the contractor and designer in place from the start was a boon for the project. “Nathan was really on top of things,” Talena says. “He’d send a list of things we needed to do, then we’d knock it out. Everything moved so smoothly.”

Aesthetically, Jessica had two goals for the interiors: She aimed to go bold with color at least once in every room, and she wanted a mix of old and new. “I would describe my personal style as traditional-leaning transitional,” she says. “I gravitate toward traditional, but I love a modern pop once in a while.” To strike just the right balance, Jessica scoured inspiration images, worked with antiques dealers, and sourced meaningful pieces of art. She and David also invested in timeless materials, such as marble countertops in the kitchen, which are polished and sealed to stand up to everyday wear and tear. “We’re hoping to be here our entire lives,” Jessica says. “Having that perspective was helpful while doing the renovation. You can feel good about the decisions you make when you hope to be here 50 more years.” 

In the Trees
While the footprint of the kitchen stayed largely the same, the appliances were rearranged for a more functional layout. Originally, the stove was in the peninsula while the sink was against the back wall. By swapping the two, the cookspace is safely out of reach of little hands, and parents can now watch over the kids while doing post-meal clean-up. In terms of style, Scalamandre’s “Raphael” wallpaper was the catalyst for the rest of the room’s design. Its tree-filled pattern calls to mind the leafy views and proximity to a park that made the homeowners first fall in love with the house.

“I love color, and I knew from the beginning I wanted the whole house to show our family’s personality.”
—Jessica Koehler, homeowner

Classic with Color
Located off the entry, the living room is the introduction to the home’s style: fresh, colorful, and with a mix of new and old. Its whimsy comes through in a multicolored Oushak rug underfoot. “That was something Jessica found online and just fell in love with,” Talena says. “We picked out those blue sofas without seeing it in person, and it worked out perfectly.” Watercolors stacked over framed intaglios flanking the fireplace add a sense of history that balances the newer selections in the room.

The Perfect Piece
A set of antique Louis XVI chairs covered in teal velvet were the starting point in the formal dining room. The painting over the mantel represents a full-circle moment with At Home in Arkansas: Jessica saw a similar work by artist Henri Linton in the December 2023 issue. After falling in love with Henri’s style—particularly his use of bright colors and subject matter of the Arkansas River—Jessica and David commissioned a piece of their own from the Pine Bluff artist. The walls are painted “White Dove” by Benjamin Moore.

Study in Blue
An intimate study off the primary bedroom is a cozy place for the couple to unwind after a long day. “So much of the house is bright and airy, and we wanted this to have a richer, moodier feel,” Jessica says. The rug once belonged to Jessica’s parents, while the newly purchased ottoman and pillows, customized with a Schumacher trim, bring a polished feel to the room. The built-ins are filled with sentimental family pieces, from the couple’s wedding guest book to favorite tomes and mementos collected while traveling. The walls, cabinetry, and ceiling are painted “Cloudy Sky” by Benjamin Moore.

Get Your Mahj On
An addition completed by a previous owner is home to a game room and casual hangout. A navy grasscloth game table coordinates with nearby club chairs, while four Italian Grotto chairs bring an air of vintage charm to the setting. After sourcing the chairs from an antiques dealer, Jessica had them recovered in a Schumacher fabric and custom painted by Tracy Rivers of AF Decorative to have a tortoiseshell look. “Tracy made these chairs come to life with the exact vision in my head,” she says.

Oh, Boy!
Walt’s room exemplifies the mix of new and old the Koehlers crave. A shadowbox piece of mixed media art featuring skiers on a navy backdrop was the first item selected for the room; using this contemporary piece alongside a pair of vintage wooden twin beds makes the room feel collected and personal. Bedside chests covered in a red lacquer and the blue-and-white-star bound carpet lend a patriotic air to the 5-year-old’s room.

Place for Play
The Koehlers transformed what was formerly a primary bedroom closet into a playroom, reworking some of the built-ins and adding others to set the stage for play. Their blue color (“Faded Flaxflower” by Sherwin-Williams) is pulled from the rainbow windowpane carpet underfoot, which Jessica calls a “great anchor and statement piece” for the room. The Marshall Concept organized Walt and Elaine’s toys. “The labels and types of containers they used makes it so much easier for the kids to see what they have and what they want to play with—and, theoretically, to put them up, too,” Jessica says.

Tied with a Bow
Two-year-old Elaine’s room is all girlish charm with bows and flowers galore. A fanciful wallpaper of pink ribbons, which Talena tracked down from an inspiration photo, speaks to Jessica’s personal love of bows. A floral pattern on the window coverings ties into the pink while introducing another layer of interest. “What I love about these drapes is they can grow with her into adulthood,” Talena says. The wicker elephant side table, crib, and glider were all hand-me-downs from brother Walt updated for little sister with a coat of paint, pink bows, and accessories.

Design Resources
Contractor Nathan Cooper, River Valley Builders Interior design Talena Ray, Providence Design Accessories, fabrics, furniture, lighting, and wallpaper Providence Design Appliances Metro Appliances & More Cabinetry Duke Custom Cabinets Carpet and rugs C&F Flooring and Rug Gallery Countertops (Fabrication) Countertop World Countertops (Stone) Triton Stone Group Fixtures The Plumbing Warehouse Framing BK Moulding Hardware PC Hardware Mirrors Staley Glass Company Organization The Marshall Concept Painting Melvin’s Painting Painting (Decorative) AF Decorative Tile ProSource of Little Rock Wallpaper (Installation) Lorita Herring Windows and doors Pella