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The Flooring Guide

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Go With The Grain

The natural look and feel of wood makes any room warm and inviting


Bruce Flooring’s Park Avenue collection commands sophisticated and opulent style with all the look and feel of solid, exotic hardwoods, and the Wenge finish boasts chocolate-brown tones with near-black veins. Available at ABC Floors in Fort Smith, Flooring America by CarpetSmart in Springdale, Little Rock Flooring and C&F Flooring in Little Rock, Whitley Floor Covering in Benton, Law’s Flooring in Jonesboro and other retailers statewide. Photo: Courtesy Bruce Flooring
New from Mid-America Hardwoods, Canyon Road is five-inch wide, random length solid flooring, which is offered pre-finished or unfinished. It’s hand-contoured and offers custom texture. Available online at mid-americahardwoods.com. Photo: Courtesy Mid-America Hardwoods

Teregren fine bamboo flooring is durable and renewable, making it a wonderful choice for any room in your home. Shown in vertical grain Carmelized finish from the Signature Naturals collection. Available at Arnold’s Flooring, C&F Carpet and Abbey Carpet of Little Rock, Lumber One in Stuttgart, Law’s in Jonesboro, National Home Centers locations statewide, Ozark Floor Covering in Fayetteville and other locations statewide. Photo: Courtesy Teregren
Cork flooring is an eco-friendly and beautiful choice for any room. This Scirocco finish from the New Dimensions collection from Natural Cork is crafted in tiles that can be installed point to point, as shown, or in a staggered brick-work pattern. Available at Flooring America by CarpetSmart in Springdale. Courtesy Flooring America by CarpetSmart

Perfect for high-traffic areas, Mannington’s Ball Teak planks, shown here in Butter Rum, will look beautiful for years, no matter what kind of abuse your family dishes out. Available at Little Rock Flooring. Photo: Courtesy Little Rock Flooring
The flooring in Leah McDaniel’s El Dorado home features beautiful hardwood flooring from Storey’s Flooring in El Dorado. Interior designer Andrea Brooks worked with the homeowners to create a comfortable kitchen with rustic touches. Photo: Nancy Nolan
 

Solid As Stone

Sleek and beautiful, stone is an elegant floor covering for a variety of rooms

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Sandy Sutton

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Hot Springs native Sandy Sutton grew up in an artistic family and always knew she had an affinity for design. “I think I was like many designers. It was second nature to me to put furnishings and accessories together,” she says. With encouragement from her husband, Denny, Sandy embarked upon a career in interior design, opening Sandy Sutton’s Interior Spaces 23 years ago and designing a wide spectrum of residential and commercial spaces. “I love a lot of styles, and I love working in those different arenas,” Sandy says.

Despite her professional success, Sandy has always been on the lookout for ways to broaden her horizons and tackle new challenges, most recently with opening of The Design Center with Sandy Sutton. Last winter, her priest, C.B. Baker of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, encouraged the congregation to “Do what you do. Do it well, but do it differently,” which proved especially inspirational to Sandy. “It took me months of pondering,” she says, “but when I got a call asking if I’d consider opening a design center in Hot Springs, it dawned on me that this was the way to do my job differently.”

To that end, Sandy has collected an array of independent home design professionals under one roof, essentially creating one-stop shopping for homeowners who are building, remodeling or redecorating and designers looking for a place to show clients a range of products, along with architects, contractors and builders. “I always say we have everything from air conditioning to zebra-wood cabinetry and everything in between,” Sandy says. Visitors to The Design Center can browse furnishings, flooring and draperies or research kitchen design and geo-thermal heating and cooling units. This one-of-a-kind, 5,400-square-foot location, which was custom-finished by Jadee Construction, who are also represented at the Design Center, provides an amazing experience for homeowners and designers, combining maximum choices and efficiency. In fact, Jadee Construction was an integral member of the Design Center team, providing all the labor, materials and subcontractors for the space’s construction. “Jadee Construction was so important to the whole building process,” says Sandy. “We could not have such a great retail location without them!”

“No matter who you are, you can do your complete residential or commercial project here,” says Sandy. Along with the fantastic showroom, Sandy has ensured that the staff at The Design Center with Sandy Sutton is knowledgeable and prepared to help any customer, with Tamar Bland as administrator, Betsy Baker as marketing director and Cody Hanson heading up floor sales. “Everyone who walks in the door will have a custom-made experience,” Sandy says. “The knowledge and associations that I have forged with quality professionals combine with our desire to help and our ability to understand what the client needs to create an absolutely unique opportunity.”

For Sandy, the best part of this experience is the chance to help an entirely new group of clients. “I am more excited about my business than I have been in many years,” she says. “The potential is huge and the energy is great.”

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A Gem of a Find

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From Left: The low and rounded form of this amber vase from IO Metro in Little Rock allows for a sweeping display of color.

Footed urns from Paul Michael in Lake Village offer a gradient of violent hues, and their fluted mouths make them versatile holders.

Diminutive in size but big in color and texture, these votives from mertinsdykehome in Little Rock work great alone or in groupings.

Reminiscent of an antique work of art, the slender, square bottle is topped with a beautiful glass crown stopper. Available at House to Home in Hot Springs.

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Arkansas Wine Country

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In the foothills of the Ozark Mountains, the towns of Altus, Ozark and Paris have become home to a lively group of local wineries, thanks to an ideal climate created by the mountains and river, as well as sandy, well-draining soil. Jacob Post and Johann Wiederkehr originally planted grapes here in 1880, and the two families remain vital forces in the winemaking industry today. Devote a weekend to tasting the best in Arkansas wine and stocking up your own cellar, as well as exploring the wonderful antiques shops that line the country roads and downtown squares.

Wineries

Chateau aux Arc
8045 Champagne Dr., Hwy. 186, Altus, 479-468-4400, www.chateauauxarc.com
With no formal training in viticulture, Audrey House purchased 20 acres of land in 1998 and set her green thumb to work cultivating Arkansas’ first Chardonnay vineyard, originally planted in 1982, and exploring new grape varieties. She bottled her first wine in 2001, becoming the youngest vintner in the country. Today, the vineyard encompasses 50 acres with a wide array of grapes and a spectacular 5,400-square-foot tasting room.

Cowie Wine Cellars
101 N. Carbon City Rd., Paris, 479-963-3990, www.cowiewinecellars.com
Robert G. Cowie first began making wines in 1955 and opened Cowie Wine Cellars in 1967. Today, the cellars are open for tours and complimentary wine tastings are available. Shop for all the supplies any amateur vintner could need, or visit the Arkansas Historic Wine Museum onsite.

Mount Bethel Winery
5014 Mount Bethel, Altus, 479-468-2444, www.mountbethel.com
Owned and operated by descendants of the Post family, Eugene and Peggy Post, Mount Bethel Winery has been passed down for generations. Currently, they produce a variety of wines from Merlot and Cabernet to Muscadine and Blackberry and even port. Stop by for a tour and tasting.

Post Familie Vineyard and Winery
1700 St. Mary’s Mountain Rd., Altus, 800-275-8423, www.postfamilie.com
Founder Jacob Post sold his first bottles from his own cellar, and his grandson founded Post Winery at its present location after helping the state legislature legalize winegrowing after the repeal of Prohibition. Today, the fifth generation of the Post family continues creating wines, juices and jellies, with wine tastings, tours and a gift shop open to visitors.

Wiederkehr Wine Cellars
3324 Swiss Family Dr., Wiederkehr Village, 800-622-WINE, www.wiederkehrwines.com
When Johann Wiederkehr emigrated from Switzerland, he chose to settle in Altus because of its similarity to Europe’s winegrowing regions. The cellar he carved from the hillside still exists as the Weinkeller Restaurant, while his family uses the best new technology to continue to grow fantastic grapes and make great wines. Stop in for tours and tastings, and visit the Vintage 1880 Wine Shoppe to browse the selection of wines, as well as gourmet foods and wine accessories.


Weinkeller Restaurant

Dining

CJ’s on the Square
1602 Franklin St., Altus, 479-468-0005
Open for dinner, this restaurant is known for great cuts of meat and made-from-scratch specialties, all served in a lovely location on the square.

Grapevine Restaurant
105 E. Walnut, Paris, 479-963-2413, www.thegrapevinerestaurant.com
Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, the family-owned Grapevine Restaurant serves great comfort food—everything from waffles and omelets to pasta, sandwiches and steaks, as well as homemade bread.

Kelts Pub
119 W. Main St., Altus, 479-468-2413
After a long day of wine tasting, what sounds better than a big, juicy burger or Reuben and a Guinness on tap in this cozy Irish pub?

Rivertowne BBQ
205 S. 3rd St., Ozark, 479-667-1808
You’ll enjoy the great barbecue and friendly service at this spot in Ozark, with large portions and plenty of sides.

Weinkeller Restaurant
3324 Swiss Family Dr., Wiederkehr Village, 800-622-WINE, www.wiederkehrwines.com
Located in the original wine cellar built by Johann Wiederkehr in 1880, the Weinkeller Restaurant serves Swiss and European specialties like delicious cheese fondue, pasta and schnitzel. Reservations are recommended, particularly for large groups and dinner.

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Last Look

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Verna Cook Garvan dreamed of transforming her 210-acre property on Lake Hamilton into a world-class botanical garden, so in 1985 she donated her Hot Springs land under a trust agreement to the University of Arkansas School of Architecture. Upon her death in 1993, the department of landscape architecture began painstakingly documenting every plant species on the property and work began on the public garden’s infrastructure, with the garden opening in 2002 and the Anthony Chapel following in 2006.

Verna Cook Garvan dreamed of transforming her 210-acre property on Lake Hamilton into a world-class botanical garden, so in 1985 she donated her Hot Springs land under a trust agreement to the University of Arkansas School of Architecture. Upon her death in 1993, the department of landscape architecture began painstakingly documenting every plant species on the property and work began on the public garden’s infrastructure, with the garden opening in 2002 and the Anthony Chapel following in 2006. The Anthony Chapel was designed by Jennings + McKee Architects of Fayetteville in the style of E. Fay Jones’ Thorncrown Chapel in Eureka Springs. Massive pine columns support its 57-foot ceiling, while the soaring windows take in the view of gardens, which are resplendent in seasonal flora, from colorful foliage in the fall to daffodils and tulips in the spring.

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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.

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