Date:  March 29, 2018  |   Story: Stephanie Maxwell Newton  |   Photography: Rett Peek  |   Styling: Lauren Cerrato  |  

A west Little Rock family finds inspiration for their home in their love of the Colorado outdoors

Looking out over the view from the dining room at Sarah and Joe Morgan’s house, it’s hard to believe that this sight almost went unnoticed. The Morgans chose to build their new-construction home on this lot, sure, but there was no guarantee for what their view would be when they started planning the 4,000-square-foot home with builder Austin White of Cap Rock Contracting of Arkansas.

“We looked all over Saline and this part of Pulaski County. The Morgans wanted something with a mountainous terrain so we kept coming back to this area,” Austin says. “We had no idea the view would be like this before we cleared it. We knew there’d be some view, but we didn’t know we’d see all of God’s creation from here.”

Austin and Joe, both Conway natives, reconnected when Joe, Sarah, and their son, Kai, moved to Little Rock after four years in Colorado. When it became clear that Austin could make Sarah and Joe’s vision—a home in the country with nods to mountain living—come to life, they started working together on its location and design. “We took inspiration for the colors and beams from Telluride,” Sarah says. “They have all these modern-rustic homes. I just showed Austin pictures, and he made it happen.”

It was top priority to make the most of the expansive view in regard to the home’s layout, which meant an open floor plan between the kitchen, dining, and living rooms. The dining room became a natural focal point on the ground floor because of its raised ceiling, stone walls (a complement to the fireplace in the adjoining living room), and several 6-foot windows that let light spill into the room.

“They definitely wanted a blend of stone and rock, and the pictures they were showing me also had siding and a bit of metal,” Austin says. “[Sarah] wanted to use some kind of wood in the ceiling, and we ended up toying with some pallet wood ideas I’d done with some other projects.” The result is a design that feels as seamless in the Arkansas hills as it would in the Rocky Mountains.

Barking up the right trees: Real aspen trees lining the entryway remind the homeowners of Colorado.

Design Resources
Architect James Scroggins
Contractor Austin White, Cap Rock Contracting of Arkansas
Accessories Catering To You
Flooring, windows, millwork, siding, lighting, and hardware Lumber One
Furniture (table) J-Hall Designs
Stone Stone Works, LLC