For product designer Brad Beach, identifying trends and refining home décor ideas is a daily practice. As the senior product development director for Walmart’s Mainstays and Home Trends lines, he travels the world, visiting stores and trade shows in search of fresh designs. Those concepts weave their way into his work, and often influence his own home as well. “My style continues to evolve,” says Beach, “because of the ongoing exposure to great design ideas.”
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It all began when I spied a gorgeous four-poster bed on clearance at a local furniture store. It was against all my cheap tendencies, but I saved up, took a deep calming breath and plunked down the money. It was an affordable sale price, but at the time I had to go back to the car, put my head between my knees and breathe into a paper bag while passersby stared with concern.
There was once a time when I believed decorating happened with the flip of a few catalogue pages. I thought it was as simple as taking out a pen, circling the right bed, rug and chair, and voila! A complete room would take shape. But it’s not that easy for me. Why? I’m cheap. I suffer from the proverbial “champagne taste on a beer budget” syndrome.
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We posted the SOS on our Facebook page: Seeking a boring bathroom, a space we could spice up with paint and fabric. Will offer designer suggestions for a colorful makeover.
Candidates quickly sent in photos of their rescue-ready baths, and our color expert, El Dorado-based interior designer Andrea Brooks, selected the master bathroom in Betsy Orr’s Rogers residence as an ideal candidate.
Since Betsy’s bath features both a soaking tub and a freestanding shower, Brooks choose a spa-inspired look. She opted for a color palette of blues, greens and purples, “all known for their passive natures, calming our nerves as well as lifting our spirits,” says Brooks.
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Angela Duke’s Glenwood house stands as her family’s home base, yet it’s been in a design transition for years. “The house originally belonged to my grandparents,” she says. “Throughout the years, it’s gone through several remodels, but I never felt like it was finished.” With her son Clark living in Los Angeles and her other son, Chandler, soon to be graduating high school, she felt it was time to rethink the house. She contacted interior designer Tobi Fairley of Tobi Fairley Interior Design in Little Rock, with whom she had worked on many previous projects. “I know Tobi gets my style,” Angela says, “and I was ready to start from scratch.”
The 1960s ranch-style house has a comfortable atmosphere, thanks to the large rooms and numerous windows that offer views of the Caddo River, and Fairley’s goal was to complement the mid-century architecture with the furnishings. “She wanted a space that was both relaxing and beautiful for her, and one that would remain functional when her family visits,” says Fairley, who began her design with the color scheme. “Every woman looks beautiful in warm peach, coral and rosy hues, and I pulled the blues from the river and nature views,” she says. “I kept each space primarily monochromatic, which lends a more calming atmosphere, and I incorporated lots of original artwork.” As an avid collector, Angela enjoyed outfitted the home with works from Arkansas artists. “I joke that if I had to choose between art and furniture, I would pick art,” she says.
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Cottages have played a significant role in the lives of Nancy and Charles Vines, who have been remodeling and building them for the past 25 years. Their latest project in Little Rock’s Heights neighborhood is a new house with all the trappings of a historic home. “People are always surprised when I tell them it’s new construction,” Nancy says. “The original house had already been removed when we purchased the lot, and we loved the neighborhood of quaint bungalows.”
Real estate is Nancy’s true line of work, and it has led to her passion for interior decorating and landscaping. “Over the years, my husband and I have both enjoyed remodeling and living in cottage-style homes,” she says. “It’s very rewarding, and we have learned so much from each house.”
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“I wanted the space to be light and bright like the people who live here,” says interior designer Kevin Walsh, describing a home in Little Rock’s Heights neighborhood that he refurbished for a young family. While the 1990s home they purchased had the classic lines and gracious rooms they were looking for, the dark colors throughout it were a sharp contrast to the serene style they sought.
“They’re both outgoing and lively, but they’re also peaceful, so we simplified the design and lightened the color palette to reflect that,” says Walsh. Doing so, he adds, showcased the home’s structural beauty, including the window casings and crown molding. “The house has such strong architecture that I didn’t think it needed a lot of decoration,” he says.
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Last year, a little house in Fayetteville set a new record for the state. It first won an American Institute of Architects (AIA) honor award for Arkansas, then one for the Gulf Region, and ultimately moved on to the big prize: a national AIA honor award—one of only eight given across the U.S.—for a single-family custom home.
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Desiring a traditional house with plenty of land for gardens and landscaping, Chip Jones and Scott Lile sold their zero-lot home in Memphis, purchased a five-acre property in a quiet Roland neighborhood and built a Federal-style home filled with comfortable furnishings. Because Scott is a native of nearby Little Rock, Chip says the move was a long time coming. “The problem was that we were on the go all the time,” he remembers. “But we finally moved to the country to slow down and enjoy life.”
In addition to gardening, Chip has since discovered other ways to relax and enjoy life as a landowner. A floral and interior designer by trade, he believes that the key to a beautiful holiday home is using fresh elements, so during the winter months he takes long walks in search of foliage to incorporate into his décor. To complement the traditional style of his home, he looks for classic greenery such as pine and cedar and seeks fresh berries that will continue his holiday colors of classic red and green. This year he also added the occasional blue accent to keep things interesting. “It’s a very popular color right now,” he says.
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During the years spent building their dream home, holiday decorating had been a challenge for Searcy residents Mandy and Rees Lloyd. With their new Craftsman-style home completed last year, they were eager to renew their holiday plans—and when they were asked to participate in the Associated Women for Harding’s Annual Holiday Tour of Homes, they decided it was an ideal time to start new traditions.
Mandy turned to her long-time friend Beth Davis, a Searcy-based interior designer who helped the Lloyd family with the construction and design of their new home, for holiday décor ideas.
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Architects Bret and Stacey Park devised an open floor plan for the family home, where informal living, dining and kitchen spaces flow together easily. “Because of that, we use every room in the house, every day,” says Jamie. “There are no off-limit formal areas or unused spaces.” Building on that concept, interior designer Lisa Claybrook, ASID, worked with the family to choose paint colors, furnishings and fabrics that would add to the home’s warm and welcoming style.
“In the living spaces, we used earthy colors that blend from room to room,” says Claybrook. “And we chose durable, kid-friendly materials to ensure that the furnishings would look good but be easy to clean.”
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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.