A Natural Compilation

September 22, 2008 by ark_admin

…

Meridith Hamilton

September 22, 2008 by ark_admin

…

Serving Up Style

September 22, 2008 by ark_admin

Clockwise from left: White patent leather pops on this rectangular tray by Two’s Company, and its sleek design lends itself to a variety of situations. Available at The Full Moon in Little Rock. The beautiful black-and-white motif on the inside of this black server lends a delicate yet striking contrast. Available at Coker Hampton in Stuttgart. Introduce some color into your life with this orange square tray from Murphy Long Design in El Dorado, and the easy-to-clean interior offers wood-grain-like details. Classic in its design, this pewter platter from Corazon in Fayetteville boasts slightly wavy edges for a contemporary feel.

…

Reinventing the Vanity

September 22, 2008 by ark_admin

The vanity is the heart of any bathroom, whether it’s a powder room or a spacious spa retreat. Options are endless, no matter what direction your tastes run, but incorporating an antique piece is a striking way to add rich history and surprisingly current style to your space. Interior designer and antiques dealer Ivo Jones of House of Ivo, Inc. in Conway has been employing this technique for years, with beautiful results. “To use an antique chest, server, buffet or credenza  as a vanity adds a unique, more individual look,” he says. “It’s a much warmer look  than the basic vanity can deliver.”

According to Jones, the first step is to determine the size and style you are looking for. “Old world, contemporary, Asian, modern or even  traditional, this will set you in the direction for the piece needed,” he says. Locating an item that’s an appropriate height is key to ensuring that it’s comfortable for you and guests. It’s also important to consider how much work it will take to transform the piece into a functioning vanity, and if it has appropriate counter space and storage.

To transform an antique into a working vanity, a skilled carpenter is essential to preserve the integrity of the piece and to ensure that moving parts, such as drawers and doors, continue working properly. Jones recommends choosing all hardware, from the sink basin to the faucet and any new door hardware, before making any alterations to the piece. “Once you make that first cut, it’s difficult to  restore or make a drastic change,” he says. “But it’s truly a satisfying way to take a small space and make it unique to your family and home.”

A lifelong collector, Jones appreciates antiques for their individuality. “Antiques have such an individual  look and superior quality,” he says, “but with new items there can be hundreds if not thousands of the same  piece floating around.” Born into a family of antiques dealers, Jones bought and sold his first piece as a child, and by 14 he started his own business, rearranging rooms for friends and family. His business has grown exponentially from simply dealing in antiques to providing complete design services for a variety of clients from his two locations in Conway and a cabinetry showroom in Little Rock, which also offers reproduction vanities. “We do it all, from  remodeling projects to new construction plans, with an emphasis on kitchens, baths and every room in between,” he says.

…

Giving the Gift of Hope

September 22, 2008 by ark_admin

[gallery columns="1" size="large" ids="76966,76967,76968,76969,76970,76971,76972,76973,76974,76975,76976,76977"]

…

Stuttgart

September 21, 2008 by ark_admin

Stuttgart is located just an hour from Little Rock and offers not only prized duck hunting grounds but also stands as a bright economic beacon of the state as home base to Riceland. November is an especially exciting time to visit, thanks to the Wings Over the Prairie festival, held during Thanksgiving weekend, which is not to be missed with its World Championship Duck Calling Contest, duck gumbo cook-off and many more events.

Fern & Feather

The French Seam

Too Cute

…

Back to Nature

September 21, 2008 by ark_admin

…

Harvest Time

September 21, 2008 by ark_admin

When the weather turns cooler, we look for the changes of colors and textures in nature to signal the beginning of fall. Landscape designer Chris Olsen with Botanica Gardens in Little Rock created an inviting harvest scene on his front porch to illustrate how a few simple techniques and choice supplies can make a beautiful autumn entrance way.

For inspiration, Olsen suggests beginning with what you already have. “I started with the door,” he says. “It’s a dark olive green and has an elegant style. The vine growing along the front of the house is Virginia creeper. It’s a native plant, and it leaves turn a fiery red in late fall. This all led me to imagine a harvest look.” He then chose the slate-colored planters and positioned them on either side of the door. “The planters keep the space from becoming too traditional,” he says. “They are big and bold, and since the porch is not very wide, they add a vertical emphasis on the door.” To increase the vertical lines, he potted agave plants in the planters, and their thin leaves and yellow and green hues accentuate the space.

Olsen chose yellow mums for fresh pops of color. “Yellow is one of the first colors your eyes notice,” Olsen says. “I love the bold hue of the mums, and I suggest replacing them every two to three weeks. The key to a great scene is to keep everything looking fresh.” Olsen filled in with gourds of every shape, color and size. “The pumpkins are perfect for fall, and they offer great texture and shape,” he says. “People often want to put out their pumpkins too early in September, including myself. That’s okay, but they have to understand they will lose several to rot before the cooler nights of early October reduce the heat stress.”

Amongst the pumpkins, Olsen placed straw pumpkins and terra cotta pots and saucers. “I don’t like to use too much of the same thing,” he says. “I spray the straw pumpkins with a water seal, and this helps them last a long time outside. The clay pots add a collective feel, and I enjoy stacking them around. When I think of harvest time, I think of a collection, and pots and baskets unify the feeling. What’s great about this setup is that I can reuse a lot of these items for winter and Christmas decorating. I’ll paint the pumpkins and pots and incorporate them into another setting. We don’t like to waste anything.”

…

Local Lookers

September 21, 2008 by ark_admin

[gallery columns="1" size="large" ids="76960,76961,76962,76963,76964,76965"]

…

Korto Momolu Little Rock-based Korto Momolu, who was born in Liberia, has been making a splash on television’s Project Runway this fall, and her sleek, polished designs are flying off the racks at Box Turtle. This silvery gray halter dress is embellished with animal-print details and a fun bubble skirt.	Jamileh Kamran Jamileh Kamran has been designing one-of-a-kind couture ensembles through her Little Rock studio for many years, even designing an inaugural ball gown for Hillary Clinton and opening her own school for budding fashion designers. This silk dress is embellished with the New York skyline around the hem for a stunning graphic effect and is paired with a swing jacket of silk and velvet.
Trisha Timmerman We hate to play favorites, but we couldn’t resist sharing At Home staffer Trisha Timmerman’s own line, called Vestito. Her cute dresses, tops and jackets have been the talk of the office, thanks to their clean lines and pretty fabrics. Check it out at Box Turtle!	Missy Lipps Designer Missy Lipps, whose work is also available at Box Turtle, deconstructs existing pieces of clothing and recycles them into new, fresh pieces, complete with appliqués and other embellishments.
Erin Lorenzen Designer Erin Lorenzen is committed to utilizing as much recycled material as possible, often re-working vintage dresses into completely unique creations, complete with patchwork and purposefully crooked seams. Available at Box Turtle.