These hot summer days sure have us dreaming of afternoons spent by one of these beautiful backyard pools. We’ve rounded up some inspiration to help you turn your backyard into a little vacation spot of your own–no travel required!
While Little Rock’s Horticare Landscape Co. has continued to operate landscaping services, the nursery and storefront on Stagecoach Road has recently come under new ownership and been rebranded as The Nurserie. At the helm of this new endeavor is Rob Galloway, who also owns WaterVeg, an aquaponics and subscription food-delivery company. “Hydroponics is growing plants in a soil-less medium, and aquaponics combines fish with that system,” Rob explains. In this type of farming, fish fertilize the water that the plants grow in, creating a small eco-system with little to no waste. Until now, WaterVeg has offered delivery of live lettuce plants, most of which were cultivated in greenhouses leased at Horticare.
When Rob had the opportunity to purchase Horticare’s nursery and grow his passion project, he seized it. “I started doing this in my backyard 12-15 years ago, but I’ve always known I wanted to make it a business,” he says. With help from the previous owners, The Nurserie opened in February without any disruption in operations. “Their business is still going strong on the landscaping side, and they’ve been really helpful before and during the transition,” Rob says.
While WaterVeg is still operating as its own entity, The Nurserie expands on the idea of a typical nursery as a working farm and market. “In addition to having flowers, shrubs, and trees on the nursery side, we grow tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuces, and of course have all the tilapia tanks,” Rob says.“We’ll also be sourcing local produce, fruits, dairy, and meats from state-certified vendors,” he adds, noting that he’s still looking for more local farmers to join the market. In the future, he hopes to add more greenhouses, tropical plants, and offer classes for beginners interested in hydroponics and aquaponics.
Call (501) 438-0808 or visit thenurserie.com for more information.
This story originally appeared in the July 2020 issue of At Home in Arkansas.
Around the At Home office, it’s no secret we love a good design book—both for the inspiration and ideas packed inside and for use in styling spaces in our own homes. Here are a few recent additions to our personal wish lists.
New England Modern showcases how New England designers are incorporating clean, cosmopolitan sensibilities into their designs.
In Soul of the Home: Designing with Antiques, designer Tara Shaw gives tips on selecting antiques to suit your style. (Find it locally at Providence Design!)
Broaden your design worldview with a look at Beyond the West: New Global Architecture, which turns its focus toward design in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. This title comes out in September.
Canadian designer and HGTV darling Sarah Richardson released her third book, Collected: City + Country Volume 1, in April. Keep an eye out for the release of Volume 2, Collected: Past + Present, in October.
What’s an art lover to do when his favorite museums are closed? Collect books about the subject, of course! Two recent additions to the tabletops of Joshua Plumlee’s Ransom Interiors are MoMA Now and Lucian Freud: The Self-portraits. “They’re maybe more art than design books, but sometimes those make the best books,” Joshua says.
Finally, we’re excited our partners at Symphony Designer House have released a coffee table book commemorating their 25th year, A Celebration of Symphony Designer House. You can get your copy (and support the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra Guild) at Phoenix Interiors or Providence Design in Little Rock or order online.
A version of this story was originally published in the May 2020 issue of At Home in Arkansas. All images courtesy of publishers.
If you’ve been itching to test out your green thumb indoors, you’re in luck—Tipton & Hurst has recently launched a Green Plant of the Month subscription service. The offering is in addition to their already-in-place Design of the Month subscription, which features a monthly floral arrangement delivery. The florist decided to launch this sister program in response to customer demand after the arrival of COVID-19 in Arkansas. “Besides their obvious beauty, green plants offer a number of physical and mental health benefits,” says Chris Norwood, lead designer at Tipton & Hurst. “Our society seems to be experiencing a newfound respect for houseplants.”
The program consists of several options: Choose your frequency (three, six, nine, or 12 months) and value ($35, $55, or $75 per month). For every month of your subscription, you’ll receive a new houseplant—which could be any variety from a peace lily or orchid to a succulent—delivered to your door, along with instructions on how to care for it. Chris leaves us with one main piece of advice for maintaining houseplants: “Remember, you can always hydrate a plant back to life, but if you overwater it and rot the root system, it’ll never recover,” he says. “When it comes to plants, less is more.”
For more information and to sign up, visit tiptonhurst.com.
This story originally appeared in the June 2020 print issue of At Home in Arkansas.
In our July issue, Lyndsey and Josh Sullivan shared how they transformed a trio of Hot Springs cabins into a modern-day lakefront retreat. With plenty of room to spread out but also places where everyone can be together, “The Cedars,” as the property is affectionately known, is a perfect getaway for the Sullivans—and anyone who wants to take advantage of property’s option to rent via VRBO.
However, what you didn’t see in the our print story were the “before” photos that make this transformation that much sweeter. Scroll on to see photos from the main cabin’s past and present.
BEFORE | The kitchen looking into the dining room
AFTER | The kitchen looking into the dining room
BEFORE | Kitchen
AFTER | Kitchen
BEFORE | Kitchen Cabinetry
AFTER | Kitchen Cabinetry
BEFORE | Living Room
AFTER | Living Room
BEFORE | Master Bedroom
AFTER | Master Bedroom
Want to know more? Read the original story from our July 2020 issue here.
Now that summer is here, we hope you can all relax a little more (hooray, no more homeschool!) and enjoy the longer days with your family. Whether you have a deck or outdoor patio, we’ve rounded up some inspiration to help you love your own outdoor space.
Design Casey Sarkin, Casey Sarkin Interior Design | Contractor Kevin Riggins, Riggins Construction | Photography Rett Peek
Design Better Lawns & Gardens | Photography Rett Peek
Design Molly Young | Photography Rett Peek
Sponsored Content | Photos provided by The Art Group
The Art Group was founded nearly two decades ago when several Little Rock artists came together to share an art studio. In 2013, the artists officially opened a gallery, The Art Group Gallery, in Pleasant Ridge Shopping Center. Follow along as At Home in Arkansas interviews each of the group’s 17 artists to find out more about their inspirations and processes for creating.
At Home in Arkansas: Tell us a little about your background. Are you a native Arkansan? Do you work full time as an artist?
Michelle Moore: I was born in the Missouri Bootheel, which is almost Arkansas. I went to grade school in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., but I have lived in Arkansas most of life. My undergraduate and graduate education is in physics, chemistry, and instrumental science. I worked as an engineer for an aerospace and automotive airbag company for almost 10 years. For the past 20-plus years, my husband, Gary, and I have operated a consulting business where we provide research-based statistical consulting and statistical programming primarily for clinical trials and regulatory submissions. I have limited my time with our business to a minimum and now as a managing partner at The Art Group Gallery at Pleasant Ridge, and I consider myself a full-time artist.
AHIA: Have you always had an interest in art? Is it something you were drawn to as a child?
MM: I guess my earliest art memory is in first grade in Annandale, Virginia. Our class teacher gave us each a ball of clay and said we could make whatever we wanted. I shaped a duck. She then had it bisque fired and brought it back to glaze and of course I glazed it bright yellow. I still have the yellow duck to this day. Other than that, I have always wanted to make something—usually, it was crafty. Then as I got older, math and science took over through college and a career. It is funny that I later found my way back to art through clay again.
AHIA: Is clay your primary medium?
MM: I began working with clay at the Arkansas Art Center Museum School around 1998. It started as a way for Gary and I to get out of the house since we telecommuted from home for our business. From there, I started drawing, painting, and then printmaking. I sometimes use combinations of mediums to convey my art, like combining printmaking with collage or clay, painting on clay, or painting with collage elements. I use whichever medium seems to work best for the idea I have in mind.
AHIA: It sounds like you’ve worked with a little bit of everything.
MM: Yes, I have had the benefit of having great instruction over the years, both in Arkansas and outside. I am always experimenting with my art. Sometimes, I feel I actually experiment with art more than work on completing an art project or series, but this is how I learn and evolve as an artist. One constant with my art is the fascination I’ve always had with abstracted faces and figures.
AHIA: How would you describe your style and inspirations? What do you hope people get from viewing or owning your art?
MM: That is a hard one, because I look for inspiration just about everywhere. My style is always going to be more abstract, and, while it may reference a figure or face, it will not render the subject exactly. I want people to feel an emotion, see something that speaks to them. My style may not speak to everyone, but who it speaks to is important to me. After seeing how my style was evolving, an instructor at the Arkansas Art Center introduced me to the Bay Area Figurative Movement in San Francisco. I am so glad she did because it gave me a sense of validation to how I wanted to paint. Painters David Park, Nathan Oliveira, Richard Diebenkorn, Elmer Bischoff, and Joan Brown were my favorites that came out of that movement in the 1950s. I was fortunate enough to see the David Park retrospective exhibit this past summer at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.
AHIA: Tell us about your creative process. Do you have a studio?
MM: I have great studio space at the Pyramid Place building in downtown Little Rock. It started with a small paint studio, and later I added a second room for a printing press. I really like the vibe of the old building. I keep a small pottery studio at home, too, where Gary and I have about three wheels, a slab roller, and a large kiln, but I still enjoy taking classes at the Museum School. You can also catch me working on art when I am at The Art Group Gallery.
My process is indeterminate, but one thing is for sure, I have to have a clear mind and be able to immerse myself into my art or it just doesn’t happen easily. Usually, when I first get to the studio, I will straighten up, then I sit down and observe what I have on the easel. I may do a little research, look at vintage photos, or think about color theory before focusing on the work itself. I almost always listen to music.
AHIA: We know the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way many people do business. How can clients shop with The Art Group Gallery now?
MM: We had to temporarily close the gallery’s doors to visitors, but our website, artgrouparkansas.com, is always open. We are all learning new ways to continue with our art and the business of art. So, for now, you can call (501) 690-2190 and arrange an appointment with any artist to visit the gallery while maintaining safe practices or visit our website where we accept PayPal and can arrange shipping and delivery.
Learn more about Michelle and The Art Group Gallery at artgrouparkansas.com.
This spring, design historian Amy Azzarito released her second book. The Elements of a Home: Curious Histories Behind Everyday Objects, from Pillows to Forks is exactly that—a collection of the stories behind ordinary, functional items that might have you wondering, Who first thought of that?
Amy has utilized her design and research backgrounds as managing editor of the blog Design*Sponge and as a contributor to Architectural Digest, Design Milk, and Apartment Therapy. While she now lives in California with her husband, Mark, and daughter, Stella (whose nursery was recently featured on Architectural Digest’s website Clever), she once called Arkansas home.
Read on to learn more about how she was inspired to discover the histories behind tassels, teapots, mirrors, candles, playing cards, and more.
>> Want to win a copy of the book? Enter our giveaway on Facebook!
At Home in Arkansas: Do you remember when you first became interested in home design?
Amy Azzarito: I grew up in a house where the aesthetics of a space were very important. Even though my parents were working with a limited budget, they put a lot of time and thought into making our home look and feel special. I remember my mom stenciling the dining room of our house in Siloam Springs, and I got to decorate my room: pale pink with a floral border. I’m not sure I realized that the history of design was a field until I was living in New York City. When I learned that Parsons [School of Design] had a program where students studied the history of objects, it was a light bulb moment.
AHIA: Tell us a little about your Arkansas connection. Did you grow up in Siloam Springs?
AA: My family moved to Siloam Springs when I was 10 years old, and I stayed until I was about 20. I went to college for two years at John Brown University and then transferred my junior year to Columbia College in Chicago. I acted in our school plays both my junior and senior years at Siloam Springs High School, and I played basketball and volleyball. It was a great place to grow up. I also went to my first auction in Arkansas! I still remember being obsessed with a Venetian mirror that was for sale, and my mom bought a Hoosier cabinet that she spent weeks stripping the paint off of.
AHIA: Your first book, Past & Present, started out as a column on Design*Sponge. Where did the concept for Elements of a Home begin?
AA: The real ah-ha moment for me was when I found my master’s program in the History of Decorative Arts and Design—a collaboration between Parsons and the Cooper-Hewitt Museum. It was there that I learned how to look at history through the lens of understanding objects. Then when I was invited to do a column for Design*Sponge in 2009, I knew that I wanted to write about the history of things—taking it out of academia and making more of a connection to modern lives.
I think the mix is the way to go—too much new and you might look like a catalog; too much vintage and things look like a garage sale.
AHIA: When you were in the throes of researching and writing this book, where and how did you spend your time?
AA: I also have a master’s degree in library science, which was certainly helpful in navigating the vast research needed for this project. I did spend a chunk of time researching in libraries. I spent a couple of weeks in New York City using the New York Public Library’s collection, and I also heavily used interlibrary loan. Many of the books that I consulted were out-of-print and so would have been cost-prohibitive to buy them all—I am so grateful for the wonderful libraries we have access to. I also used subscription databases, some of which were only available at libraries. I ended up consulting some 500 sources.
AHIA: Were there histories behind any particular household items that most surprised you?
AA: Every object in this book was chosen because there was some surprising fact about it. I love that the first napkins were in fact lumps of dough used by the ancient Greeks, and that the ancient Egyptians had keys so large they could be carried slung over one’s shoulder!
AHIA: With a love of the history behind objects, I’m sure you have a few vintage finds sprinkled throughout your own home decor! Do you have any tricks for mixing the old with the new?
AA: I have lots and lots of vintage pieces in my home. I have things that are personally sentimental, like a salesman’s sample shoe that was designed by my Italian immigrant great-grandfather. I also have lots of things found at flea markets and thrift stores. I think the mix is the way to go—too much new and you might look like a catalog; too much vintage and things look like a garage sale. I usually try to keep the colors fairly muted so that things feel cohesive.
Follow Amy on Instagram (@amyazzarito) and find out more at amyazzarito.com.
Images courtesy of Amy Azzarito and Chronicle Books
Little Rock-based designer Shayla Copas has announced the release of two brand collaborations that she hopes will carry her love of colorful Southern style into even more spaces. The first is a line of accent furniture, lighting, mirrors, and accessories with manufacturer Chelsea House. “The collection is full of color and pattern, and it has a really fresh spring vibe. The pieces are very classic with a touch of glam,” Shayla says.
Her second collaboration is a line of fabrics with outdoor furnishings brand Polywood, for whom she’s worked as a Design Ambassador for the past year. “It’s not common that you get set free to design what you want to design. Both those brands took that path with me and wanted me to be creative doing what I love to do.” Shayla says she intentionally used a similar color story—soft tones of green, blue, coral, and white—throughout both collections so they could potentially be used together.
“It was a dream of mine to have a collection with companies that have the same branding standards that my company does,” Shayla says. “Consumers are going to see a lot of happiness in both collections because I’ve been very excited to work with these brands.” shaylacopas.com
Editor’s note: Both collections were set to be unveiled at High Point Market this month. Shayla’s team has decided to officially celebrate their launch in October at the fall market.
A version of this story appeared in the April 2020 edition.
In our April issue, local designers shared their top paint picks for the bedroom, kitchen, and living room. But what about all those other spaces? Here, we’ve asked them to share go-to colors for the rest of your home.
Sherwin-Williams’ “Dovetail”
“I recently used this as the exterior trim on a new build. It’s the perfect complement to brick and siding.” — Joshua Plumlee, Ransom Interiors
Sherwin-Williams’ “Fawn Brindle”
“This is a quiet and sophisticated wrap for the home, and using Sherwin-Williams’ ‘Thunder Gray’ is the perfect accent for shutters or doors.” — Sandy Sutton, Sandy Sutton’s Design Center
Benjamin Moore’s “Gray Owl”
“If you want to get away from an all-white exterior, but don’t want to commit to a lot of color, ‘Gray Owl’ is a soft light gray that is great for exteriors.” — Susan Walsh, Bear Hill Interiors
Sherwin-Williams “Bracing Blue”
“This is a moody blue with a hint of gray. It looks great with pink, red, and, of course, other shades of blue. It’s a great backdrop for beautiful antiques and art.” — Kevin Walsh, Bear Hill Interiors
Sherwin-Williams’ “Comfort Gray”
“This is one shade darker than ‘Sea Salt’ (another Sherwin-Williams’ color) and complements it perfectly. I have used these two colors in many clients’ homes for bedrooms and baths. They consistently feel lovely in each space, and as a result I have used them in my own home as well.” — Marie Jeffery, Marie Jeffery Design
Benjamin Moore “Quiet Moments”
“Both this color and Benjamin Moore’s ‘Iced Marble’ are relaxing shades of blue that bring some color in without being overpowering, and both go well with nickel or brass finishes. I like to do a shade lighter or two in bathrooms to give a bright and clean feel.” — Brittany Nixon Brun, Brittany Nixon Creative
Benjamin Moore’s “Bashful”
“I have designed two baby girl nurseries, and both had pink walls. ‘Bashful’ is just the right amount of pink without being bubblegum or pastel. And it has just a smidgen of peach in the undertone, which pairs really well with accent colors such as green or blue and brass finishes.” —Brittany Nixon Brun, Brittany Nixon Creative
Sherwin Williams “Silver Strand”
“This is one of my favorite colors period, but definitely my favorite for kids’ rooms! It is the perfect shade of pale blue/gray that accents any bright color found in children’s rooms. From bright bubblegum pink to teen turquoise and superhero reds to classic navy and orange plaids, this color is a chameleon that pairs beautifully with EVERYTHING!” — Christina Gore, Christina Gore Design Studio
Sherwin-Williams’ “Clary Sage”
“I love this cozy color for a boy’s room. It’s such a lovely light green that will transition nicely with the age of the child.” — Marie Jeffrey, Marie Jeffrey Design
Sherwin-Williams’ “Agreeable Gray”
“It is the perfect neutral and looks beautiful however you decide to go with the décor, whether it be traditional taupe or modern gray.” — Meridith Ranouil, MLH Designs
Sherwin William’ “Shoji White”
“Lighter greige and off-whites like this one are my go-to when clients want a warmer feel with layered color and texture, especially when natural light is at a premium. Going with a deeper greige like Sherwin-Williams’ “Worldly Gray” on trim and moldings can add more depth and interest to the space.” — Andrea Brooks, Ashley Cardiel Interiors
Sherwin-Williams’ “Everyday White”
“This is a tried and true option for common areas. I also like ‘Agreeable Gray’ and ‘Accessible Beige,’ both from Sherwin-Williams. — Mara Lamb Malcolm, Lamb’s Interior Design
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.