A Little Rock couple trades their traditional family home for a sleek, luxurious high-rise

When a family’s youngest child leaves the nest, a traditional family home begins to feel extravagantly unnecessary. Such was the case for a Little Rock businessman and his artist wife. “They were in the mood for a change, and liked the idea of being downtown, walking to dinner, and having the best of the city at their fingertips,” says Garry Mertins, of Garry Mertins Design. When he met the homeowners through a mutual friend, they had purchased a penthouse unit facing the Arkansas River, but the original plan for three bedrooms didn’t suit their desire for an open, airy space that could as likely be found in New York or Los Angeles. “They told me that all they needed was their art, their albums, and their books—everything else could stay behind,” he recalls. They no longer needed multiple bedrooms, and instead sought a space suitable for entertaining large crowds, but still cozy for the two of them. With Garry’s eye for drama and detail, and a team willing to push the limits of style and design, the homeowners got the empty nest of their dreams.
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