…
Opening Up
At Home in Arkansas: You worked with Deana and Bobby Taylor before, when you redesigned their master bathroom a few years ago. What did they have in mind this time?
Designer Meridith Hamilton: While working on the master bathroom, Deana walked me through these rooms and said she’d like to eventually collaborate on redoing them. She wanted me to open up the rooms and make better use of the space, similar to what we did in her bathroom area, and provide a kitchen, living and dining space with a more modern and clean-lined look.
How did you begin formulating a plan?
The Taylors wanted open spaces better suited to entertaining—they have a teenage son and enjoy having family and friends over. That was easily achieved by removing the wall between the kitchen and the living room and the wall between the living and dining rooms. The kitchen was fairly small, so we pushed out the back wall and extended the room an additional 450 square feet. The architects at Yeary Lindsey, contractor Mike Sanders and I all worked closely together, and they ensured that the structure had enough support to achieve this openess.
…
Leap of Faith
At Home in Arkansas: When you and your husband, Kyle, purchased your home three years ago, it hadn’t been updated since being built in the 1970s. What made you decide to tackle such a big project?
Homeowner Robyn Allmendinger: We brought in interior designer Krista Lewis, who happens to be Kyle’s sister, to see if she’d have some kind of a vision for it. It had been on the market for more than a year, but Krista realized its potential and was so excited when she saw it that we finally decided to just bite the bullet and do it. At the same time, we loved the idea of being able to gut it and create an entirely new space for our family, including our two young sons, Grant and Davis, to grow into.
As sisters-in-law, you seem to have enjoyed a fun collaboration.
Interior designer Krista Lewis: We have similar tastes and prefer the same colors—traditional with an occasional trendy element, and blue as a thread throughout.
…
Beauty from Ashes
In the fall of 2010, an accidental fire blazed through the home of Dr. Lance and Annetta Audirsch and their two children, leaving much of it damaged and unrecognizable. Despite the devastation, the family took a positive approach: “We were fortunate in that we lost a lot, but we didn’t lose everything,” says Annetta. “We actually were able to save some of our most cherished elements, including photos and family mementos.”
Although the damage meant months of displacement, the family embraced a similarly positive approach in rebuilding, including designing a new kitchen to match their contemporary style. “Our entire house is monochromatic, with a very clean palette and uncluttered look,” says Annetta. “This was an opportunity to blend the kitchen into the rest of our home.”
The Audirsches called in kitchen designer Charlotte Lefler of Lumber One Home Center, who helped the family create a warm, welcoming space that embraced their vision. A restrained color scheme helps the contemporary design feel cohesive, with white cabinetry topped with snowy quartz counters. Blue-veined granite covers the island, where onyx cabinets provide a complementary contrast. Brushed nickel hardware ties the two together, and a stainless steel backsplash and bright nickel pendant lights add shine and sparkle.
The colors and materials achieved the contemporary feel the family wanted, but in a kitchen, function is a necessity. “For a busy family with two teenagers, the space needed to be extra functional,” says Lefler. “We included cutlery dividers, deep drawers for storing pots and pans, a door-mounted trash pullout and a pantry with roll-out shelves.”
…
Refreshed and Ready
Think that bright white must be banished from a family home? That serene hues, shimmering surfaces and chic accents won’t work in a household full of boys?
Not so, say designer Susan Walsh of Bear-Hill Interiors and homeowner Amanda Allison, who, along with her husband, Scott, is the proud parent of three young sons. With thoughtful planning and wise purchasing, the pair proved that stylish rooms and family living can co-exist peacefully.
When the Allison family moved into a recently renovated home in the Heights neighborhood in Little Rock, Amanda sought Walsh’s assistance in transitioning existing furnishings into their new residence. “The house was a great fit for the size of their family, and since it had recently been updated, it didn’t need any structural changes,” says Walsh. “But many of the rooms were dark and felt heavier than what Amanda had in mind.”
…
A Thousand Stories
Just as a picture is worth a thousand words, camera collector Hubert L. Smith Sr.’s career as a professional photographer is the sum of a lifetime of treasured memories and fascinating stories. Smith has served as president of the Arkansas Professional Photographers Association, photographed nine presidents, including JFK, traveled with former Arkansas governor Winthrop Rockefeller as his personal photographer, presented one of his own published books to President Gerald Ford during a visit to the White House, made the cover of Time and The New York Times, had works published in Sports Illustrated, Life and Newsweek—and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. “I’ve been very lucky,” he says, smiling. “I’ll put it that way.”
Smith discovered photography as a teenager living in Lonoke. A photographer invited Smith to his dark room, and that was it. “I was hooked,” Smith recalls. Just a week after graduating from high school, Smith took a job at a Little Rock studio. From there, his career expanded and evolved.
A writer from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette gave Smith the opportunity to work with Rockefeller, with whom he became close friends. “I accompanied Governor Rockefeller to Washington for President Nixon’s inauguration,” he remembers, “where I had the chance to photograph the Rockefeller brothers together.” The Dem-Gazette, and then the Austin American-Statesman, also fed Smith’s intense passion for sports, particularly of the Razorback variety. He was on the sidelines at the 1964 National Championship football game, taking pictures of course.
…
A Thousand Stories
Just as a picture is worth a thousand words, camera collector Hubert L. Smith Sr.’s career as a professional photographer is the sum of a lifetime of treasured memories and fascinating stories. Smith has served as president of the Arkansas Professional Photographers Association, photographed nine presidents, including JFK, traveled with former Arkansas governor Winthrop Rockefeller as his personal photographer, presented one of his own published books to President Gerald Ford during a visit to the White House, made the cover of Time and The New York Times, had works published in Sports Illustrated, Life and Newsweek—and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. “I’ve been very lucky,” he says, smiling. “I’ll put it that way.”
Smith discovered photography as a teenager living in Lonoke. A photographer invited Smith to his dark room, and that was it. “I was hooked,” Smith recalls. Just a week after graduating from high school, Smith took a job at a Little Rock studio. From there, his career expanded and evolved.
…
Test
For the big day, Payton wore a crown of blossoms rather than a traditional veil as a headpiece. The couple chose a sunset, outdoor wedding ceremony overlooking the Ozarks, accentuating the evening with simple, romantic details. “It was wonderful and precious, and it turned out to be everything I had dreamed,” says Payton.
Intro: For the big day, Payton wore a crown of blossoms rather than a traditional veil as a headpiece. The couple chose a sunset, outdoor wedding ceremony overlooking the Ozarks, accentuating the evening with simple, romantic details. “It was wonderful and precious, and it turned out to be everything I had dreamed,” says Payton.
…
At Home with Ashley Saer
Out & About in Bentonville & Rogers
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 158
- 159
- 160
- 161
- 162
- …
- 228
- Next Page »
