Date:  December 1, 2025  |   Story: Tiffany Adams  |   Photography: Rett Peek  |  

Inspired by its owners, Stacy Sheid Epps updates a family home to be as welcoming at the holidays as it is year-round

With roots in South Arkansas and a stint in Mississippi, Allison and Dennington Moss were bound to bring pieces of the Delta with them when they moved to Northwest Arkansas almost 12 years ago. Throughout their marriage, the couple has amassed antiques, cherished furnishings, and collectibles, picking up things as they found them or being fortunate to inherit them. “When we lived in Lake Village, we were just 45 minutes from Merigold, Mississippi, where McCarty Pottery is located. My wife acquired a number of pieces then before anyone really knew what it was,” Dennington says.

Wondering how to best use these pieces, they looked to designer Stacy Sheid Epps, a longtime friend of Dennington’s who shares a passion for classic, time-honored design. “We hired Stacy largely because of her style; she likes a lot of those historical, traditional elements that we like,” Dennington shares. “The three of us have very similar taste,” Stacy echoes. “Dennington is a huge hunter and has more deer mounts than we do at our house, but we’re all very traditional and a bit Ralph Lauren-inspired in our style,” the designer says.

Stacy began to work with the family, who had all three of their children—Ella, Landers, and Hadley—under their roof at the time, on small room updates. However, a chimney fire in 2022 took them deeper. Smoke damage seeped from the main fireplace in the family room to the kitchen and breakfast area, prompting a larger, true renovation. Walls came down to connect the den to the kitchen, and space was reallocated based on the way the family lives. With many of the upholstered goods, draperies, and rugs also needing to be replaced, Stacy again evaluated what the Mosses had and how she could use it to convey their style. “If clients have heirloom pieces, I really like to use those. When you collect case goods and antiques, you can use those and build on them for the rest of your life,” Stacy says, adding that she has done the same with many memory-laden pieces in her own home. For the Mosses, this was true in spades, with furnishings such as their dining table and chairs, along with sideboards and chests proving to be just the right fit for their space and their style.

For the holiday season, Mindy Yates worked alongside Stacy to add a layer of décor that doesn’t fight the home’s everyday appeal but rather reflects its nature-drawn hues and down-to-earth materials. Starting with the tree, Stacy and Mindy weaved in pinecones, feathers, ribbon, and ornaments in hues that coordinate with the house to create a gracious, country estate-inspired holiday scene. Throughout the home, wreaths, swags, and even fresh pine needles scattered down the dining table’s expanse continue the theme.

“The entire remodel made our house more casual and welcoming,” Dennington says. “We live in a small neighborhood and have close friends here. What Stacy has done—making our house so open and inviting—has made our home the place where people wind up gathering, and not just at the holidays.”

For the Girls
Designed with Allison in mind, the sitting room is the most formal space in the house but still conveys a sense of comfort. During the renovation, Stacy completely reworked the fireplace surround, opting for a clean marble and herringbone pattern inside the firebox. Swivel chairs invite conversation and the Colefax and Fowler fabric on the pillows adds a level of feminine sophistication. “There’s not a television in here, so the thought was if the guys are watching sports in the den, the girls can retreat here. It’s also great when they host another couple for drinks,” Stacy says. Simple magnolia leaves and a potted amaryllis lend an air of holiday spirit without being over the top.

Game for Anything
With hunt scene prints, a collection of calls, and an axis deer mount (which Dennington took on a hunting trip to south Texas for a friend’s 50th birthday), the front office is as much a space for work as it is for pondering favorite pastimes. Stacy pulled together pieces from the Mosses’ collection, including the pine desk, throne chair, and rug, to contrast with the dark green wall for a look that reads casual and rustic yet elevated. She notes the wall has a very thick textured treatment. “Rather than going through the time and expense of having it resurfaced, we opted to paint it in this rich color, and I think it turned out so pretty,” Stacy says.

Outdoor-inspired Dining
In the dining room, Stacy paired an antelope-print rug with a dining table and chairs the couple have owned for years. Their collection of McCarty Pottery is displayed in an oak Welsh cupboard, another piece they already owned. “A lot of designers might have pushed for a new dining suite, but I really wanted to embrace this one,” Stacy says. The different shades of brown are punctuated with nature-inspired elements, including the fronds on the brass chandelier, the texture of the grasscloth wallcovering, the botanical prints, and the drapery panels, which are made from “Thistleon,” a fabric by Heather Chadduck Textiles. Additionally, pinecones and greenery add to the woodsy feel while pointing to the approaching holiday season.

Ready to Cook
Formerly angled and awkward, Stacy streamlined the kitchen to have a large island across from the range and added a separate bank of cabinetry that serves as a beverage center in what was the breakfast nook. “With the island seating, they didn’t need the breakfast nook so it made sense to turn it into a sitting area,” Stacy says. Tall-back chairs and a picture window create an ideal spot for the couple to have their morning coffee.

The home’s main tree features a plaid ribbon Stacy found at Daisies & Olives. “It was the exact piece we needed to pull that tree together,” she notes. Frosted pinecones, gilded leaves, and no small assortment of ornaments combine for a snow-like effect.

Calm and Cozy
In reworking the family room, space did not allow for the bookshelf to be replicated on the left side of the fireplace. Stacy solved for this with a mahogany secretary that balances the fireplace and provides character. Leather chairs with nailhead trim, a bench that doubles as a coffee table, and antique accessories complete the look.

“When you collect case goods and antiques, you can use those and build on them for the rest of your life.”
—Stacy Sheid Epps, designer

True to Blue
“This is such a soothing space,” Stacy says of the primary bedroom, which was designed around the four-poster bed, a family piece that worked well within this setting. Stacy layered Thibaut patterns on the drapery, shams, and bedskirt to bring a timeless mix to the room. McCarty Pottery lamps, topped with custom fabric shades, make an appearance on the bedside chests, carrying the collection throughout the home.

Restructuring a Classic
With the kitchen undergoing a full renovation after the chimney fire, it felt like an opportune time to update the primary bath as well. In rethinking the cabinetry design, Stacy placed towers at the end of each vanity to maximize storage and paneled the wall to give architectural interest. Polished nickel, a finish the designer notes she has gone back to in baths, brings a classic feel to the fixtures and sconces. Across the room, the same quartzite used on the counters surrounds the tub, while an overscaled tile extends the full height of the tub wall and into the adjacent steam shower. Wanting to allow light into the space and give privacy, they opted for pleated café curtains, which accomplish both and bring a softness to the space.

Design Resources
Interior Design Stacy Sheid Epps, Stacy Sheid Interiors Christmas design Mindy Yates Accessories, art, bedding, fabrics, furniture, hardware, lighting, and rugs Stacy Sheid Interiors Appliances Metro Appliances & More Cabinetry Collins Custom Cabinets Carpet Tom January Floors Christmas décor Daisies and Olives and Juniper Hill Home Countertops Verona Marble Company Fixtures Ferguson Plumbing Supply Paint Sherwin-Williams Upholstery Joe Ellis Upholstery Wallpaper (installation) Tammy Melton Window coverings Selah Design Studio