Date:  August 29, 2025  |   Story: Tiffany Adams  |   Photography: Rett Peek  |   Styling: Tiffany Adams  |  

Designer Chandler Bailey works with a Little Rock couple to brighten the hub of their home

When Drs. Debra and David Becton called Chandler Bailey of B. Interiors, they were looking for a whole home refresh. “They had lived here for a while, and there was a lot of brown and beige,” Chandler recalls. “Everything was still in good shape, but color-wise it was not the scheme they wanted.” While the designer helped with multiple areas throughout the house, she took a particular interest in the kitchen, which is a hangout for the Bectons as well as their children and grandchildren who all live nearby. “This is where they come for Thanksgiving and Christmas. They love having the open plan, and the island creates the perfect flow with extra seating for lots of people,” Chandler says.

Since the layout worked so well, the footprint, cabinetry, and appliances were left intact, and the designer set to work painting the doors and drawers white while sourcing a blue backsplash tile that is now a standout feature of the room. “Blue is a favorite color for them, and they are also drawn to a more tropical, ocean feel and floral patterns,” Chandler says of the genesis of the design plans. “Blue can be a neutral for a lot of people because so many things go with blue,” she adds. The designer also traded dark granite countertops for a lighter porcelain option that has the look of a natural stone with gold veining. This element pairs with the updated gold hardware and new pendant lights over the island.

Previously, the room lacked a window treatment— an addition Chandler knew would soften the space and allow them to bring in more color and pattern. A Roman shade made from Thibaut’s “Peacock Garden” is now a focal point at the far end of the room, while a grouping of vases adds personalization on a ledge over the range. “She had collected these vases through the years, and we thought this is a space that can be changed out seasonally,” Chandler says.

At the room’s entry, a separate beverage station allows guests to stop in for a drink­—or sweet treat—without getting into the main traffic flow of the kitchen. “She always has her candy bowls stocked for the kids,” Chandler says, pointing to three large apothecary jars sitting atop the counter. “A lot of times people end up hanging out in the kitchen—even when you think they will go sit on the couch,” the designer says, adding that features like the beverage center and comfortable, new barstools seem to invite both the young and young at heart to gather.

A Roman shade in Thibaut’s “Peacock Garden” fabric creates a focal point near the sink.

“Blue can be a neutral for a lot of people because so many things go with blue.”
—Chandler Bailey, designer

Design Resources
Contractor Jacob White, Jacob White Construction Interior design Chandler Bailey, B. Interiors Countertops Pacific Shore Stones Hardware PC Hardware Lighting, fabric, and tile B. Interiors Window coverings Mountjoy’s Custom Draperies