Old World meets cool contemporary in an updated home that’s elegant yet comfortable for family living
At Home in Arkansas:In the years since we last featured this 1920s Hillcrest home, it has changed ownership and undergone a dramatic renovation. When did the current homeowners contact you about a design overhaul?
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For homeowners whose houseplants need rejuvenating, Ziggy Shumate, nursery manager for Horticare Companies in Little Rock, has some advice. Take them outside, and replant them in your outdoor containers with a mix of blooming annuals for a fresh look that will fare well throughout the growing season.
“Houseplants that have been living in a small container too long stop thriving because they become root bound,” says Shumate. “Moving them to a larger container gives them room to spread out.” The plants’ textural leaves and variety of colors make them an interesting option for spicing up containers, she notes, and adding in a few colorful annuals results in a blooming, budget-friendly combo. “Don’t be afraid to mix things up,” she adds. “You’ll get a look that’s more personal and often more interesting.”
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When Ashley Jones seeks inspiration for her paintings and photography projects, she finds it in the refreshing greens and blues of nature. But when it came to her 1969 ranch home in the North Little Rock neighborhood of Lakewood, lively colors and natural elements were clearly lacking. “The main living spaces were incredibly dark and closed off with tiny rooms,” says Ashley. “It didn’t leave me very inspired.”
And so Ashley, general manager for Merle Norman in the greater Little Rock area, set about transforming her kitchen, dining and living rooms into one open and airy space. She took her time and pondered the prospect of renovating for an entire year while planning and outlining a budget, and then began the project with the help of contractor Richard Harp.
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It’s often said that handwriting is a dying art form, but Mac and Sue McFarland of Bath House Row Antiques in Hot Springs are keeping it alive with a beautiful assemblage of antique writing accessories.
The McFarlands’ collection encompasses not just pens but everything one would have needed to execute the written word. There are, for example, traveling spring-loaded leather inkwells made to close tightly for transport, as well as a portable lap desk with military handles from the 1840s. “An important person keeping records on a day-to-day basis would have had that piece,” Mac says.
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1. Black and white drum pendant lamp with recycled, mouthblown glass finial by Stray Dog Designs. The Full Moon, Little Rock
2. Hand-tufted Sticks rug by Brink & Campman for Masland. C&F Flooring and Rug Gallery, Little Rock
3. Circular metal mirror. Lewis Lighting & Home, Benton
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OCCUPATION: Executive director of Potluck—Food Rescue, which is Arkansas’ only food rescue organization and bridges the gap between excess food and the hungry.
BEST KNOWN FOR: In the 17 years I’ve been with Potluck, you could say I’ve been a pretty good grant writer. I’ve written more than $2 million in grants for the organization, helping us grow from one truck and 23 donors to four trucks and more than 200 donors. In 2010, we recovered more than 4.5 million pounds of food.
LIVES IN: The Cammack Village neighborhood in Little Rock, in a house that was built in 1950. It’s a small, wonderful cottage that lives large.
MY FAVORITE PART OF MY HOUSE IS: My home office, which also serves as a den and a guestroom. My wonderful house is less than 1,000 square feet, and every room does double duty. This room does triple duty, with a desk, a television cabinet and a loveseat that converts to a bed.
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Feinstein’s, Little Rock
Milly color-block sheath dress and coat, brown wood and coral and ivory-colored acrylic bangles
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At Home in Arkansas:
As the dynamic duo behind the specialty furniture retailer I.O. Metro—your husband, Jay, is the founder and chief executive officer, and you’re the creative director—do you feel like kids in a candy shop when you move into a new home?
Christine Howard:
Definitely. Our homes have always been our testing grounds for new items, experimenting with styles and seeing how well each piece works over time. We’ve been married almost five years, and in that time we’ve lived in nine homes, so we’ve had plenty of experience with the process.
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At Home in Arkansas:
How did this stately home, which you share with your husband, Neal, and your children, Elizabeth and Wesley, become yours?
Lisa Kirkpatrick:
We fell in love with our home more than 22 years ago. Neal and I would drive by often and just knew one day it would be ours. The dream became a reality nine years ago and since then we’ve poured our hearts into creating a look that the home needed and deserved.
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At Home in Arkansas offers you a look inside the state's most inspiring homes. The magazine features monthly advice from the experts to help you plan your next remodel or redesign, entertain at home, or find Arkansas's best kept secrets. It is your definitive guide to the state's finest homes and gardens, design professionals, fashion and entertaining essentials, and premier shops and showrooms.
