With the help of designer Tobi Fairley, Brandy and Richard Harp create an al fresco escape in their own backyard
When Brandy and Richard Harp built their west Little Rock home, the backyard was a top priority. “We work hard but we want to play hard,” Brandy says. The couple, who have two young children, wanted to create an oasis where the kids could play together and friends would linger on weekends.
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At Home in Arkansas: Carita and Bennie Ryburn and their two daughters, Halley and Madison, are a young, active family. How did they amass such an impressive collection of antique furniture?
Designer Tobi Fairley: This house belonged to Bennie’s grandparents, and he was very close to his grandmother. When she passed away, she left the house to him and his family. It was full of her antiques—wonderful old furniture, with many pieces from Hickory Chair and Baker. The Ryburns left things intact for a little while, and when they were ready, I came in and helped them with the process of determining which items to keep. Many items were sentimental to them, but they wanted the house to feel modern and updated for their children—someplace they could live in for a long time.
Once you began the remodeling process, your initial plans were derailed a bit.
After we finally decided which items to keep, I picked up all the antiques, moved them to my warehouse in Little Rock, and began refinishing and reupholstering them. Once we began the remodeling process with the contractor, the house caught on fire due to some old electrical wiring in the sunroom. A few things in the house had to be restored. We didn’t lose much, but we had to completely start over on the renovation. That was about four years ago, so this has been a five or six year process.
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Angela Duke’s Glenwood house stands as her family’s home base, yet it’s been in a design transition for years. “The house originally belonged to my grandparents,” she says. “Throughout the years, it’s gone through several remodels, but I never felt like it was finished.” With her son Clark living in Los Angeles and her other son, Chandler, soon to be graduating high school, she felt it was time to rethink the house. She contacted interior designer Tobi Fairley of Tobi Fairley Interior Design in Little Rock, with whom she had worked on many previous projects. “I know Tobi gets my style,” Angela says, “and I was ready to start from scratch.”
The 1960s ranch-style house has a comfortable atmosphere, thanks to the large rooms and numerous windows that offer views of the Caddo River, and Fairley’s goal was to complement the mid-century architecture with the furnishings. “She wanted a space that was both relaxing and beautiful for her, and one that would remain functional when her family visits,” says Fairley, who began her design with the color scheme. “Every woman looks beautiful in warm peach, coral and rosy hues, and I pulled the blues from the river and nature views,” she says. “I kept each space primarily monochromatic, which lends a more calming atmosphere, and I incorporated lots of original artwork.” As an avid collector, Angela enjoyed outfitting the home with works from Arkansas artists. “I joke that if I had to choose between art and furniture, I would pick art,” she says.
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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.