Working with a Fayetteville family in designing their home from the ground up gave interior designer Dixie Pittillo of Shepherd’s Interior Design in Pine Bluff an added advantage when it came time to design the outdoor space. “I drew a lot from the home’s design when we turned our attention to the outdoors,” she says. “They wanted the house to be very open, and with the back side mostly windows, the exterior had to visually blend with the interior.” One reason the homeowners chose to purchase the site was the expansive backyard and views, and Dixie wanted to highlight that in her design.

Dixie collaborated with Seaside Pools in Springdale, Sharum Landscaping and Design in Springdale and Landscape Associates in North Little Rock, to create a large, versatile space centered on spending time with family. “These homeowners are all about family, and I wanted to give them plenty of room to enjoy each other and to entertain,” she says. The pool features an extended shallow end for a game of volleyball, and the hot tub, located closer to the house, is ideal for relaxation.

By building varying levels on the slightly slopping lot, Dixie gave the homeowners various areas that can be used separately or together. “We extended the space surrounding the pool to allow lots of seating room, and we included an outdoor kitchen with stainless-steel countertops, by L&L Metal Fabrication in Springdale, where they can cook and entertain with easy clean up,” she says. “Down the steps from the pool is an open area for sports and games, while the fire pit offers seating around it.” Durability and beauty played a role in choose the furnishings. “We of course wanted the space to be beautiful, but we also wanted the furnishings to withstand kids and lots of use,” Dixie says. “It’s also easy to maneuver and relocate throughout the space, depending on the size of a dinner party or family time on the yard. Flexibility was foremost in my mind for this family.”

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