At Home in Arkansas is excited to have Steph Smith join the magazine staff as our new art director! To help you get to know the most recent addition to our creative team, we asked Steph a few questions about her background, her home, and her passion for design in all its forms.
Tell our readers a little about yourself. Where are you from?
I was born in Ohio and grew up in Michigan. Summers were absolutely perfect, but as soon as I graduated high school, I headed south to get away from the snow. Now, I live in Springdale, and I love how convenient it is to all of Northwest Arkansas. In 15 minutes I can be in Fayetteville or Bentonville! We live really close to some fantastic new parks where we love spending time with our kids, Greyson and Ava. I’m excited that living and working in Northwest Arkansas will provide a bridge from our Little Rock-based team to the talent and beauty of this area.
You’ve had a variety of creative roles throughout your career, from graphic design to photography. What drew you to working with At Home?
After graduating with a degree in graphic design, I worked in every environment from small design studio to shopper marketing firm to the world’s largest retailer. While building my career as an art director, I was simultaneously building a wedding photography business in Northwest Arkansas. I’ve photographed weddings for 10 years, traveling to places all around the U.S., including Denver, New Orleans, and New York City. While I loved it, I was missing moments with my family. I took the down time during 2020 to work on building out my commercial portfolio so I could take less wedding work and be home on the weekends. I dove into product photography and fashion and loved it.
After years of styling wedding details and combining my eye for design with product styling, I jumped at the chance to work with the team at At Home in Arkansas. Interior design has always been a sought-after passion of mine, something I long to have knowledge of to round out my skill set. The art director position is a perfect culmination of my previous experience and my yearning for growth. I admire interior designers and the beautiful work that they do, and I’m excited to help capture the stunning homes and the teams that put them together in Arkansas. I’m thrilled to be a part of At Home!
How would you describe your own home and interior style?
I’m drawn to the transitional style, mixing traditional and modern elements in a serene sort of way. While we sometimes strive for this in our home, our personal aesthetic includes a lot of eclectic art and props. My husband and I are both creatives and movie aficionados, so you’ll find everything from a Jurassic Park raptor claw prop to a Batmobile on display. It’s definitely a fun mix!
Do you have a favorite room of the house?
We recently redecorated our dining space and replaced our old French doors with new ones. We painted them black to match our statement wall in that room, and it’s the perfect contrast to our tulip table and leather and traditional dining chairs. It’s the room with the most light in the house, so I’m naturally drawn to it. I put a disco ball near the door so every morning the whole house lights up. I highly recommend it.
Follow @athomearkansas on Instagram to see our editorial team in action. You can also follow Steph at @iamstephsmith.
