After learning they would be grandparents times two, a Little Rock couple creates a colorful, comfortable nursery fit for twins
When Leslie and Joey Wiggins learned their son and daughter-in-law, Blake and Courtney, were expecting twin boys, they knew they needed to make a move—to the couple’s neighborhood, to be exact. “Like most people, we are very family oriented and wanted to be close by to help and to watch them grow,” Joey says.
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In Fayetteville, a sophisticated nursery sets the scene for a new arrival
Designer Stacy Sheid Epps has a long history with this Northwest Arkansas family. So when the parents-to-be called on her to create a nursery for their first baby, she was excited to welcome the little one and eager to get started on his room.
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Amy Baker Designs maximizes the potential—and personality—of a family home on Lake Hamilton
With five children between them and a love of entertaining, Miki and Bryan Hiller knew they would need to find someplace special when they started looking for a waterfront home in Hot Springs. “We wanted a really great view and deep water, but also somewhere quiet enough that I wouldn’t have to worry about the kids swimming and boats coming by,” Miki says. When this house in a quiet cove came on the market, they didn’t care what it looked like—they jumped at the opportunity for their dream location on the lake.Recognizing the residence would need a major overhaul, the Hillers brought in Rusty Rogers of Rogers Construction to help transform its outdated floor plan into something better suited to their family and style. The improvements included bumping out one wall to allow for a larger kitchen as well as an open floor plan that’s conducive for both school nights and social gatherings. For help finishing out the interiors, a mutual friend connected Miki with Hot Springs designer Amy Baker, who also lives full-time on the lake. “They’re a younger, kind of hip family, and we ended up hitting it off because we’re in similar places in life,” Amy says.
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Taking cues from its surroundings, designer Kevin Walsh brings energy and charm to a Hot Springs vacation home
Like so many people, Kevin Walsh’s clients began dreaming of a getaway when the pandemic hit. Wanting to be near friends in Hot Springs, they found an ideal retreat on the shores of Lake Hamilton and immediately brought the designer in to orchestrate a refresh of the home’s main spaces. “We wanted to give the house a new lease on life,” Kevin says.
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A contemporary lakeside home offers its owners a true escape from day-to-day life
When the owners of this Hot Springs home found an empty lot on the shores of Lake Hamilton, they jumped at the chance to create a vacation home they could enjoy with their two children as well as friends and family. With two directives in mind—a modern structure and four bedroom suites—they reached out to Chris Milligan, residential designer and owner of design-build firm Dwellings, and interior designer Heather Fuller of Fuller Design Co., who worked hand-in-hand on the new build. “Chris came up with the vision for the house and the design evolved from there,” Heather says, noting he has the mind of a designer and the capability of a contractor.
“The whole thought was they live in a traditional home in Little Rock, so let’s make this feel like a true vacation getaway,” Chris says. To accomplish this, they opted for a style that was a direct departure from the primary residence. Heather, who had worked on that home and been friends with the couple for years, knew the feel should still be warm and inviting even though the bend was modern. “She is very practical, and it is so easy to work with her,” Heather says of the homeowner. “I have really come to know what she likes, and that makes the process easy.”
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Inspired by the owners’ fun-loving personalities, Katie Grace Designs mixes whimsy and sophistication in this west Little Rock home
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Amy Williams Design imbues a Searcy home with classic comforts to stand the test of time
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A young couple honors their family’s heritage with a studio home that celebrates craftsmanship as well as the structure’s setting
As high school sweethearts, Emily Parks and her now-husband, Devon, wouldn’t have guessed the house where they posed for prom pictures would strongly influence their own abode years later. After marrying in 2013, the pair left their native Van Buren for Los Angeles to work in the film industry. While they returned home to see loved ones as often as they could, a project with an extended stay arose in 2019, evolving into an opportunity where they were working in Arkansas almost as much as they were in California. “We kind of just fell in love with home all over again. You really come to appreciate the area you are from when you move away,” Emily says. They felt the time was right to reestablish their roots in western Arkansas by making it their home base.
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Designer Stacy Sheid Epp updates a 1970s family home with practical pieces and well-placed patterns
Attending furniture market in the sixth grade was just one of the defining moments that led Stacy Sheid Epps to a career in design. “Growing up in Mountain Home, I spent afternoons in my family’s home store, Sheid’s Furniture,” she says. “When you grow up like that, it’s in your blood—and you don’t get away from it,” she says with a laugh. “I think I probably appreciate the craftsmanship and beauty of pieces a little more than the average person.”
When the store closed in 2010, Stacy seized the opportunity to launch her own design business, and the owners of this Fort Smith home were taken with her aesthetic. “My style is traditional, and we wanted our home to be traditional but also to have a clean and welcoming feel,” says one of the owners. Having known the family for almost a decade and worked with them on their previous house, Stacy had a sense of what they wanted to achieve in this new space while keeping the soul of the home intact—especially since the owners had always admired its charm.
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Family collections and thrifted finds bring meaning and style to a central Arkansas designer’s home
Jen and Ben Bienvenu were not looking to move from their downtown Little Rock residence when they found a stately property for sale in Cammack Village. The couple initially considered it too much square footage for their family of four; however, as the house sat on the market and the price continued to drop, they started to imagine the possibilities. “I love puzzles, whether that’s arranging a shelf or piecing together a floor plan, and I think this home wasn’t selling because people had a hard time seeing past that moment in time when it was last remodeled,” Jen says. “When you’re buying a house, you either get to renovate yourself or you pay for someone else’s renovation. My dad worked in construction, and Ben’s parents are an architect and interior designer. We’ve always been on the same page that if it’s got four walls, you can do anything,” she says.
The Bienvenus are typically drawn to the high ceilings and character of older homes, and this one—built in the 1950s, with a kitchen renovation and second story addition in the ’90s—is the newest they’ve lived in. So when Jacob White Construction Company came on to make updates, it was important to keep a sense of the home’s history. Starting in the main living spaces, they replaced pocket doors and walls with cased openings, which maintain separation of the rooms while improving the flow.
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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.