Designer Whitney Romanoff personalizes a previous renovation to create her family’s West Coast-inspired abode
During her years living in Washington, D.C., and later Oakland, California, Whitney Romanoff had occasionally considered moving back to her home state of Arkansas—one day, maybe. However, the start of the pandemic in 2020 provided a shift in perspective, and she, her husband, Stephen, and their daughter, Sofia, put down roots in Fayetteville earlier than expected.
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A west Little Rock couple enlists local pros to update their gathering spaces
Family and time together were the driving forces behind the renovation of this home’s main living areas. Having built the house more than two decades ago, the couple were ready for a more contemporary, open floor plan as well as a style update. “We have a large extended family and love to host during the holidays and entertain throughout the year,” one of the homeowners says. “Our kitchen was tight and the living room wasn’t being used as much because it was shut off.”
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A Clarksville couple transforms their bed and bath with the help of designer Beth Reed
While a roof leak presents obvious problems for homeowners, Lauren and Jonathan Nichols saw water damage to their property as an opportunity. “We discovered a slow leak over our shower that had caused the drywall to bubble,” Lauren recalls. “I have a hard time not doing anything all the way, so my husband said, This is your chance. Go big or go home.” A friend shared the name of Beth Reed, designer and owner of Design Actually, and Lauren reached out immediately. “I love to decorate, but with the scope of this project and everything we wanted to incorporate, I couldn’t imagine where to start,” she says.
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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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The owners of Porch View Home create a homestead where their passions for gardening, design, and time well spent can grow
Todd Smith and Charlie Groppetti may have generations past to thank for their love of rural life. “We both grew up with grandmothers who loved having a garden and growing flowers,” Charlie says. While he spent time with his grandmother in his native California’s Central Valley, Todd’s roots are here in central Arkansas, just outside Vilonia—a place the two of them could envision themselves once their son, Leland, joined the family.
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Myranda Grulke uncovers a passion for gardening while renovating a historic property
These days, Myranda Grulke describes gardening as “part of her lifestyle.” But judging from the lush beds of seasonal color and a greenhouse brimming with potted plants, you would never guess she still considers herself a beginner.
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A west Little Rock couple transforms their backyard into a getaway with the help of local professionals
“Everyone who knows me knows this is my dream house,” says Kelli Heathman of the home she and her husband, Dr. Monty Heathman, share. The bones of the house—its French country influence, in particular—spoke to her tastes, and since moving here in 2015, she and designer Mona Thompson Phelan have worked to refresh furnishings and accents throughout the interiors. Recently, they turned their attention to the outdoors, bringing in David Munsey, III, of Better Lawns & Gardens to create a retreat. “I travel a lot for work so I wanted a place where I could relax on the weekends,” Kelli says. “Plus, we love to entertain and both wanted an area where there was plenty of room for guests and a flow of different spaces to welcome them.”
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For a designer and his dear friend, this Fayetteville home has been decades in the making
Walking into Melissa Banks’s home is like taking a trip both through time and around the world. As office manager for Goddard Design Group, the Springdale firm helmed by Chris Goddard, she is often immersed in the realm of global interiors, so it’s no surprise her personal home is a reflection of that aesthetic. Less apparent to the eye, however, is the home’s connection to its past.
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In Little Rock, designer Krista Lewis helps a family maximize their lot’s view and create a comfortable, inviting home
Having lived in their previous home for 10 years, this young family loved their neighborhood and never thought of moving—until a property around the corner piqued their interest. “I was out for a run one morning and saw a ‘for sale by owner’ sign that had just gone up,” one of the owners recalls. “At first I didn’t think that much of it, but then I passed by it a few more times and started thinking, that might be the best lot on the entire golf course,” he says. He began talking with the owner, viewed the interior, and soon got his family on board for a move.
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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.