Date: August 31, 2022 | Story: Stephanie Maxwell Newton | Photography: Rett Peek | Styling: Lauren Cerrato |
Designer Carrie Kidd brings a pastel palette and preppy sensibility to the heart of a Little Rock home
Step into this kitchen and living room in Little Rock’s Heights neighborhood and you’ll find no shortage of eye candy. From whimsical lighting to a playful mix of light-hued patterns, every detail feels as happy and refined as the people who call the space home—all thanks to a recent refresh completed by their friend Carrie Kidd. “We have six kids and raised a family here, with little hands everywhere,” the homeowner says. “It was well lived in and time to change a few things and bring in a more modern look.”
Because the two spaces are so connected—thanks to a large-scale renovation the owners completed when they moved in 11 years ago—Carrie approached them as a unit. She and her client’s first stroke of inspiration for the design came from Schumacher’s “Lotus Garden” in a blush colorway, which they used on Roman shades in the kitchen. “What’s the saying by Audrey Hepburn, ‘I believe in pink’? That is this client,” Carrie says. “She’s my girly girl. I showed her that fabric and she just fell in love.” Knowing they would weave more feminine aspects throughout the décor, the pair chose a moody, gray-blue paint color for the cabinetry and trim and repeated the hue in the geometric backsplash tile. Funky pink pendants and satin brass hardware complete the kitchen’s cosmetic transformation, all while keeping its existing cabinetry, appliances, and countertops intact.
In the living room, the couple gained more space for this season of life by eliminating a breakfast table from the floor plan. “Now that we’re empty nesters, we sit at the bar or, if the whole family is here, we go to the dining room,” the homeowner says. As a guest at many of the couple’s get-togethers, Carrie had a good idea of how this space is used and specified seating that would make the most of it, including a set of light blue sofas piped in a contrasting navy. Against the mix of patterns in the living room, these provide a solid backdrop to allow the eye to rest, much like the role the cabinetry plays in the kitchen. “I love color, but I also didn’t want you to walk in and be like, Oh my gosh, there’s a lot going on here,” the homeowner says. “Carrie reined me in and said let’s keep some things neutral here and there, and in the end I love every single piece we chose.”
Layered Living
The living room chandelier previously hung over the breakfast table. After reconfiguring the space, Carrie had the fixture painted the same color as the kitchen cabinets and relocated to the center of the room. A custom Oushak rug reflects the project’s pink, blue, and lavender palette, and a mix of modern and classic finds fill the built-ins and coffee table for an extra dose of personality. “Accessories really make the space,” Carrie says. “You can have beautiful upholstery and beautiful drapes but if you don’t have great accessories, it’s not a home.”
Curved barstools made from burled wood are one of the homeowner’s favorite elements of the design. “I would say she’s traditional, but she also likes some unique pieces—something not everyone has,” Carrie says.
Design Resources
Interior design Carrie Kidd, Carrie Kidd Designs Accessories Bear Hill Interiors Fabrics Designer Effects Fixtures Falk Plumbing & Supply Furniture Carrie Kidd Designs and Cobblestone & Vine Lighting Light Innovations Paint Sherwin-Williams Painting J&F Painting Rugs Carrie Kidd Designs Tile (backsplash) Triton Stone Group Window coverings Mountjoy’s Custom Draperies
