From deep dark roast to milky café au lait, coffee browns are just the boost your home décor needs
Squiggle ceramic planter and modern vase. Tipton & Hurst, Little Rock, tiptonhurst.com. Painted bowls and block-printed throw. Box Turtle, Little Rock, shopboxturtle.com
…
In Little Rock, Ashley Childers imbues her outdoor living spaces with English-inspired appeal
A passion for gardening and hosting inspired interior designer Ashley Childers to add an outdoor living space and English-style garden to her family home in Little Rock. “We love all four seasons in Arkansas, and I’m grateful we live in a climate where we can experience all of them,” she says. “My husband and I really love to garden together, so we wanted to create a little oasis for ourselves—something that we could enjoy all year-round.”
…
The 1836 Club: Also known as The Packet House and the McDonald-Wait-Newton House
Though named for the year Arkansas became a state, the story of The 1836 Club—or rather, the building it occupies—begins in 1869. This grand mansion situated near downtown Little Rock was built by Alexander McDonald, a banker and Union Army soldier who moved to Arkansas shortly after Pulaski County had been taken by Union forces. According to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas, McDonald and four other wealthy Northerners built mansions along a section of Cantrell Road, then called Lincoln Avenue, leading the area to be nicknamed “Carpetbagger’s Row.” Today, McDonald’s house is the only one still standing.
…
A small start leads to a full, flourishing garden at Chris H. Olsen’s getaway
“I’m just going to do azaleas and keep the yard simple.” That was the line that central Arkansas landscape designer Chris H. Olsen told himself when purchasing his rural retreat in Cabot. After completing the interiors (featured in the October 2023 issue of At Home in Arkansas), it seemed almost reflexive for him to turn his attention to the outdoors, a space that existed in the form of a bare country lawn when he signed the deed. “The idea for azaleas progressed to a cutting garden, and now here we are,” he says with a laugh.
…
Turn your backyard into a personalized paradise, no matter your choice of palette
“Havana” side chairs in Black/Natural Resin Wicker, 9-foot auto-tilt umbrella, “Granite” umbrella base in Ebony, and “Plateau” 48-inch round table in Polished Sandstone White, all from Summer Classics. Available at Ninth and Co., ninthandcompany.com; Southern Loft, mysouthernloft.com
…
A Little Rock dining room update mixes formality with flair
When Drs. Kevan Beth and Steven Meadors returned to their home state of Arkansas, they were eager to settle into the Heights neighborhood of Little Rock where Steven grew up. “We love this location; there’s so much charm, and you can easily walk to restaurants and shops,” Kevan Beth says. With a volatile housing market in 2021, it took them a bit to find just the right place. “We have three small children, so this house attracted me because it has a lot of space,” she recalls. However, many of its contemporary design elements didn’t suit their traditional style. Still, Kevan Beth saw the potential and has since begun working room-by-room to make the house their own, starting with the dining room.
…
Get guests in the mix with an experience-based approach to entertaining
When Jessie Gillham of Little Rock’s Festive Haus started dreaming about a spring gathering, she wanted it to be more than just a meet-and-eat party. “I think experience-based gatherings are becoming a huge trend—and a good one,” the event planner says. “There’s less pressure on you as a host and on guests to create conversation. Plus, it can be more fun and intimate.”
…
Get to know this Arkansas destination through the eyes of a couple of local business owners who call the city home
Carey Thompson and Josh Palmer found the perfect blend of old and new when they opened a gift shop in a 110-year-old potato barn. The property became available as the two were hoping to start their own coffee-roasting business, The Black Bison Company. They purchased the piece of history with the intention of basing operations there; however, it quickly became clear that roasting coffee in a century-old wooden structure would not be advisable. Shifting gears, they moved production off-site while making the barn the face of the company. To fill the space, they opened a retail shop in the location, selling a range of gifts, jewelry, and home décor along with Black Bison coffee by the cup. “Carey had gotten started helping out in a business a few years ago that was coffee-oriented, but it was more of an online business,” Josh says. “With us both being from Fort Smith and having ties here, we wanted to do something a little more local.”
…
Adventure awaits in Arkansas and beyond! Read on for destinations you’ll want to add to this season’s bucket list | A Special At Home in Arkansas Promotion
…
An outdoor addition and renovation blend seamlessly with this Little Rock home’s contemporary style
Having lived in eight different houses, you could say Mimi and Jim Hugg have a knack for homes. “Each time we moved, we got a better understanding of what we wanted in an outdoor space,” Jim says. After purchasing this 1970 home, they embarked on a renovation of both the interior (featured in the May 2023 issue of At Home in Arkansas) and exterior. Their wish list for the outdoors included a covered porch, pool area, a terrace off the primary bedroom, and features that would make the majority of the spaces usable year-round. “We wanted a house that would allow us to get outside easily,” Jim says. “The idea of an inside-outside aesthetic is so appealing to us.”
…
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.