All Glammed Up

July 23, 2014 by ark_admin

A personalized bedroom makeover yields high style as well as a hands-on learning experience for a Little Rock high schooler

It’s a rare occurrence when a client knows exactly what she wants—especially when the client hasn’t even graduated from high school. However, 15-year-old Tori McDuffie is not your typical teenager. “I’ve always been into fashion and design, and I think it would be cool to work in that area one day,” says McDuffie of her interest in the arts. To give her future career a jumpstart, McDuffie received a bedroom makeover with local designer Shayla Copas as a 15th birthday present from her family.

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Teamwork by Design

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It’s All for the Kids

July 23, 2014 by ark_admin

In Little Rock, Our House, Inc.’s new Children’s Center is ready for action thanks to generous time and material donations made possible through a partnership with the local chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers

Imagine a group of 50 children along with their teachers doing homework, playing games, and working on educational activities in a 65-year-old, 7,000-square-foot ambulance garage that is also shared with an adult learning center. Doesn’t sound ideal, right? Until this summer, that was the situation at Our House, Inc.’s Children’s Center. Not only was the program constrained by a number of safety and design issues, it also lacked the ability to accommodate the ever-growing number of clients who are a part of Our House. The directors and the board knew a solution needed to be found to continue the organization’s more-than-worthwhile work.

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A New Game Plan

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Neutral Ground

July 23, 2014 by ark_admin

A palette of pale neutrals and streamlined accessories creates a spa-like ambience in this French Country-inspired family home

Amber Doggett is one very busy woman. As a business owner, interior designer, wife, and mother (her two youngest are one-year-old twin girls), tranquility at home is a top priority. To that end, Doggett says she designed her family’s new home as a “getaway from the mayhem.”

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Peaceful Protest

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A Colorful Family Home

July 22, 2014 by ark_admin

A family of eight—yes, eight!—called on designer Tobi Fairley to use her signature bold palettes and tailored style to transform a cramped cottage into an accommodating home full of bright ideas

As a family grows and changes, so should the family home. When a recently married couple with a combined total of six children was ready to bring everyone under one roof, finding a house that suited their complex needs was a challenge. The couple called on friend and Little Rock-based designer Tobi Fairley to turn a small cottage on a quiet street into a hard-working (and spacious!) family home. “The house wasn’t large enough and definitely didn’t suit their needs, but it is often better to address a home’s challenges than to start with a blank slate,” says Fairley of the family’s decision to renovate rather than build a home.

Fairley and her team worked with Carolyn Lindsey of Yeary Lindsey Architects to open the kitchen into a large family room and add a new master suite, office, powder room, and utility space. Upstairs, they reclaimed the under-used attic for living spaces, installing dormers to add square footage and maximizing personalized storage wherever possible. The result is a study in creating an ideal space for a family of any size.

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Nautical Escape

June 23, 2014 by ark_admin

A young family creates a comfortable, maritime-inspired retreat near the shores of Greers Ferry Lake

In the Eden Isle community, nestled against the trees along the shoreline of Greers Ferry Lake, sits the weekend home of a young Conway family. “We wanted a place where we could unwind together as a family and get away from the demands of everyday life,” says the homeowner, who grew up near the water and wanted the same experience for her children, ages six, four, and eight months. “During the fall and spring we take walks and ride our bikes, and in the summer the marina is a quick golf-cart ride away.”

To make the home reflect its surroundings, the owners solicited the help of designer Tami Risinger, who filled the spaces with familiar pieces such as bunk beds and wicker dining chairs to give it functionality for the active family and to instill a sense of nostalgia appropriate for a family vacation spot. Throughout the house, pale walls are outlined with warm gray trim. Simple details such as beadboard and wide-planked hardwood floors give the home a cottage-style appeal.

“Tami knows our casual lifestyle,” says the homeowner, who met the designer through mutual friends. “She knows how we live, and we trusted her to create something that would fit into that. The house is comfortable and cozy, but also feels polished.”

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Modern Family Getaway

June 23, 2014 by ark_admin

More really is merrier at this no-fuss vacation home, situated on the shores of Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs

When designer Garry Mertins first came on board this new-construction lake house project, the homeowners—two adult siblings and their spouses—explained the mission to him this way: “When we’re here, we’re here to relax. We also want our kids to be able to relax, and we want them to bring all of their friends and have a great time with minimal stress.” With easy living for all ages as his key objective, Mertins worked to maximize both function and experience for the two families and their many, year-round guests.

At the heart of the home is a generous, open-plan living area on the main level. Exposed structural components contribute to the sleek, elemental effect of the design: the vaulted 20-foot ceilings are lined with eight-inch oak planks, the floors consist of scored and finished concrete, and an exposed steel I-beam and support mechanism runs the length of the room. And though the architecture is very linear and edited, Mertins has prioritized comfort in the space, by drawing it all to human scale with furnishings.

“This room makes entertaining easy, whether you have three people or thirty,” says Mertins. Defined activity zones allow for an intimate feeling no matter the size of the gathering, while plush rugs and oversized furniture provide total comfort, especially after a long day of sun and water sports. The room encompasses a high-tech kitchen—with seating for eight on barstools gathered around an extended island—a dining room, a wet bar, a small sitting area, and a spacious family room.

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Make a Splash

June 23, 2014 by ark_admin

Steep terrain and a heavily wooded lot were no obstacles in creating this poolside oasis

After settling in to their Little Rock home, this fun-loving couple and their daughter dreamed of installing a pool. “We’ve always wanted a pool for entertaining and a place to hang out as a family,” the homeowner says. They knew a pool would not only give them the perfect warm-weather escape but would also enhance the home’s backyard. There was just one problem—the house was situated on a steep, heavily wooded lot.

To survey the landscape and engineer a suitable space, the couple called in the experts. The evolutionary process began with the homeowners discussing initial ideas for the space with designer Larry West, who worked with the family on the interior of their home. Next, they turned to Scott Girner of Elite Pools by Scott to work his magic on the showpiece of the area—the pool. “We really had an opportunity to turn a challenge into something very positive with this project,” Girner says of the home’s lot. Because the space had been previously unused, the possibilities were limitless. The homeowners wanted to be able to see the pool area from several vantage points in the house. To accommodate this request and the terrain, the transformation began with creating a structure that allowed the bottom of the pool to be above grade. Girner again turned the challenges of access and elevation into an attribute by creating a swim-up bar and separate elevated tanning ledge, which both add to the shapely design of the pool and its surround. “The homeowners were very hands-on throughout the process and really allowed the space to evolve naturally,” Girner says.

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Bringing the Beach Home

May 14, 2014 by ark_admin

A Fayetteville woman turns to Springdale’s Harper Howey Interiors to bring casual, shore-inspired style to her family’s suburban abode

“If I can’t be at the beach every day, I want to feel like I am,” says homeowner Paige Arnold. After owning property in the popular Rosemary Beach community along Florida’s Scenic Highway 30A, Arnold fell in love with the area’s laid-back lifestyle. “It’s a very casual mix of modern and eclectic,” she says of the beachfront region’s signature style, which often features a cool palette of ocean-inspired blues and greens, slipcovered furniture, and weathered wood. “I wanted our home here in Arkansas to feel almost like you’re on a vacation—a sort of Rosemary Beach meets Fayetteville look,” she adds.

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European Union

May 12, 2014 by ark_admin

Storied antiques and old world-inspired furnishings blend with timeless design elements in a new home for the perfect marriage between past and present

When homeowners Donna and Jim Bottin decided to move to West Little Rock to be closer to family, they thought they knew what they wanted. “The plan was to do an open-concept house, similar to what we had before,” says Donna. “But we wanted it to be a little more intimate and cozier,” she adds.
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Serene in the City

April 18, 2014 by ark_admin

A view of the Arkansas River and its woodlands encourage a Little Rock couple to renovate a home to fit their needs

Looking to bring a sense of calm to their routine, a Little Rock couple set out to find a new home where they could spread out a bit, relax and enjoy life’s simple pleasures. Hoping for a river view, their options were limited. When a classically styled house on a quiet street came available, they knew that with a little imagination—and help from a trusted team of experts—they could transform it to suit their needs perfectly.

At first glance, the home wasn’t exactly dream-worthy. In fact, it was just the opposite of what this couple had in mind. But the red brick Georgian-style house did have a few things going for it; namely, a view of the Arkansas River and beyond. Inside, a small galley kitchen, dark hallways, and low ceilings didn’t suit the couple’s taste or lifestyle, so they called on architect Tom Fennell and designer Bill Beringer to bring the space to life.

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All Glammed Up

It’s All for the Kids

Neutral Ground

A Colorful Family Home

Nautical Escape

Modern Family Getaway

Make a Splash

Bringing the Beach Home

European Union

Serene in the City

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At Home in Arkansas