Date:  December 3, 2019  |   Story: Stephanie Maxwell Newton  |   Photography: Rett Peek  |   Styling: Lauren Cerrato  |  

Minimal design and repurposed pieces go hand-in-hand in Stephanie and Zack Smith’s new construction home

When Stephanie and Zack Smith started thinking about building their fourth home together, they had their eye on a certain piece of property down the road from where they were currently living. “It’s wooded and really pretty, and we could just see the way the lot would flow,” Stephanie recalls. “We left as many trees as we could for privacy, and then we decided to build a cottage-style house, which seems suited to the woods.”

The couple, who are no strangers to the building process—Stephanie is an interior designer under the name Zook & Pepper Interior Design & Build, and Zack owns Zack Smith Construction—found a plan by Texas architect David Wiggins that suited their needs perfectly. Zack built the house, and Stephanie got to work picking finishes and details for the interiors to make it their own. The result is an inviting, cabin-like home where the family of six spends time (and celebrates the holidays!) together. “We love the open floor plan,” Stephanie says. “At our last house, all the kids’ rooms and their TV room was upstairs, so they spent a lot of time up there. But here, it’s nice to all be out in the open.”

“I wanted it to be open and light and airy, and it almost feels like a cabin because of all the windows and the woods on our land.” —Stephanie Smith

Family Hub
While all the walls are white, Stephanie painted the kitchen island and lower cabinets black to provide contrast. “I felt like the room needed some depth with it being so open to the living room, and the black really grounds the kitchen,” she says. She swapped upper cabinets for open shelving and chose a classic square subway tile to keep the kitchen’s style clean and linear.

Meaningful Mix
The dining room showcases Stephanie’s passion for incorporating sentimental pieces into a home, whether it’s hers or a client’s. “I love taking what somebody has and shedding a new light on it,” she says. The china cabinet, table, and host and hostess chairs were Stephanie’s grandmother’s; she has painted the cabinet and chairs over the years but left the table untouched. “I love the fact that it’s my grandmother’s and she gave it to us, but I wanted to make it mine.” The antiques mix with midcentury-style metal chairs and a modern farmhouse chandelier as a further reflection of Stephanie’s personal style.

Simple & Seasonal
Stephanie notes the two-way fireplace between the dining and living rooms was a major draw to this house plan. For the holidays, she used fresh garland on the mantels and throughout other rooms to bring the feel of the outdoors inside. “I wanted to keep it simple and minimal,” Stephanie says. “And since we have kids, I want it to be pretty, but I also want them to be comfortable here.”

Master Comfort
The home’s neutral and woodsy palette continues into the master bedroom, where abundant windows let in natural light and give the Smiths a view of the wooded property beyond. The bedding skirt is another cherished piece from Stephanie’s grandmother, and the prints hanging next to the sliding barn door were a Mother’s Day gift from Zack.

In the master bath, Sherwin-Williams’ “Hunt Club” adds interest to the vanity’s Shaker-style cabinetry. “I also did a floor-to-ceiling shower curtain in here to add a little texture and soften the design against all the white and the tile,” Stephanie says.

Design Resources
Architect David E. Wiggins Builder Zack Smith, Zack Smith Construction Interior design and Christmas décor Stephanie Smith, Zook & Pepper Interior Design & Build Appliances Metro Appliances & More Cabinets Speck Cabinets Countertops Casa Blanca Granite, Marble & Tile Fireplace Royal Hearth & Home Fixtures Falk Plumbing Supply Flooring Forest to Floor Lighting GW Lighting Millwork Zack Smith Construction Paint Sherwin-Williams Tile ProSource of Little Rock Wallpaper Zook & Pepper Interior Design & Build