A Golden Glow

November 24, 2009 by ark_admin

When December rolls around for Little Rock resident Paul Guess, he is ready to spend time with his friends and family in a special place – his home in Chenal Valley.

“Christmas is such a fun time of the year, not only because of the true meaning, but also because I enjoy celebrating with my colleagues and family,” says the Des Arc native, a senior director of sales for a major pharmaceutical company. Paul hosts a party every year for all of his colleagues from the Southern region, and in preparation for the event, his house gets a full holiday makeover.

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From Magnolias to Myrtles

October 23, 2009 by ark_admin

The South is known for its lush and lovely gardens, with flowering trees and shrubs setting the framework with their glossy foliage, beautiful blooms or season-long staying power. Here in Arkansas, a wide variety of traditional favorites are locally grown and designed to flourish throughout our planting zones. We asked growers and nursery owners for some tips on working these garden icons into the home landscape.

Magnolias

The staple of the Southern garden is the magnolia tree, which Donna Pittman King, owner of Pittman Nursery Corporation and Garden Center in Magnolia, and her family have been growing for four generations. She notes that Magnolia “Grandiflora,” or Southern Magnolia, is the classic, wide tree with glossy, evergreen leaves, fragrant blossoms and branches that extend all the way to the ground. Varieties like “Little Gem” can be planted in more compact areas, and newer hybrids have been developed that bloom earlier and last longer.

King recommends loose, moist, acid soil for planting, noting that the trees prefer full sunlight but can grow in shade. “Typically, they’ll grow more slowly in shade, and magnolias are not fast growers to begin with,” she adds, “and they do best in well-drained soil.” No matter the size or variety, King suggests that their elegant leaves and sculptural shapes make them a must for a true Southern garden. “The foliage is attractive in any landscape, and an added benefit is the beautiful flowers,” she says.

Crape Myrtles

“Think of a formal allee of these graceful, beautiful trees with a large, umbrella-like canopy of blooms,” says Donna Bemis, owner of Bemis Tree Farm on the outskirts of Little Rock. “That’s the classic Southern garden use, and they make a great accent tree when placed near a seating area or a window with a view.”

Of the 10 varieties grown on their farm, Bemis recommends the “Natchez White” crape myrtle as a regional icon. “All of the varieties do well in our state,” she adds. “They’re a tough tree, fairly fast growing and can survive most conditions.”

Bemis notes that the most critical element in establishing a new tree is adequate watering for the first few years. “Make sure you water them deeply, twice a week, for the first three summers,” she says. “After that, they should do fine with just moderate water, and they don’t like to be too wet.”

Hydrangeas

Known for their large, round flower heads, the “Nikko Blue” hydrangea is a perennial Southern favorite, notes Jeb Leggett, owner of Custom Landscape & Nursery in Mt. Vernon. “It’s one of the oldest varieties and can grow to be five or six feet tall, making it a mass of color in the spring.” Soil acidity determines bloom color, varying from deep blue in acid soil to pale blue or even pink in alkaline areas.

A shady setting with an eastern or northern exposure is ideal, and the plants will tolerate morning sun, says Leggett, as long as they receive adequate watering and are in a well-drained area.

While traditional varieties set buds on last season’s growth, meaning that a late freeze in the spring can limit blooms for the year, the newer varieties such as “Endless Summer” have been cultivated to bloom on new growth as well. “That increases their reliability,” says Leggett, “and allows them to bloom throughout the growing season.”

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Southern Chic

October 22, 2009 by ark_admin

“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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Southern History

October 22, 2009 by ark_admin

It was on a Sunday drive through downtown Fayetteville that Julie and Mike Roetzel realized, after 27 years of marriage, that they shared a secret interest in the same house. As they drove through the historic Washington-Willow neighborhood, Mike pointed to a particular yellow brick home and commented that it had always been his favorite house in town, a remark that resonated with a surprised Julie, who replied it was her favorite as well.

Serendipitously, friends who were driving with them had recently heard that the house was about to go on the market. It had been the childhood home of University of Arkansas Chancellor David Gearhart, and his family was considering selling—prompting the Roetzels to immediately decide they wanted to be the first prospective buyers to see it.

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Tradition with a Twist

October 21, 2009 by ark_admin

“For as long as I can remember,” says Blytheville native Carolyn Grisham, “I’ve wanted a white house with white columns and black shutters.” With a degree in art and graphic design from Southern Methodist University (SMU) and 25 years as senior interior designer with Club Corp in Dallas, Carolyn was ready to tackle plans for her family’s dream home in Harrison when she and her husband Bud, a land developer and native of the area, retired there 16 years ago.

The result was a 4,500-square-foot Greek Revival brick home situated in the middle of 25 acres. Surrounded by groves of natural oak, walnut and pear trees, the stately exterior of the Grisham’s home reflects the tradition of a much older past with white-washed red brick that has gently aged through the years.

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Cross Creek

September 22, 2009 by ark_admin

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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Project Provence

September 21, 2009 by ark_admin

When interior designer Kim Brockinton and her husband decided to build a home in Little Rock’s Heights neighborhood, she envisioned a space befitting of the villages she had visited on trips to the French countryside. “I wanted to make certain this house had a real sense of authenticity,” Brockinton explains, “as though it had been transported right from a small town in the Provence region of France.” She also wanted to have ample space to entertain large groups, including her two then-teenage children and their friends, while still maintaining a sense of charm. “Now that we’re empty nesters, it’s not overwhelming for two people,” she says. And while it’s comfortable for a dinner party of 10 or 12, the residence has just as easily accommodated large house parties of 100 people.

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Classical Cooking

August 19, 2009 by ark_admin

Old world is a term that comes up often in Bruce and Joan Johnson’s line of work. As owners of Fayetteville-based White River Hardwoods, a company known for its embellished moldings and hand-carved architectural elements, understanding classical design is an essential part of their business. To acquire this old world authenticity, the couple frequently travels to Europe—touring, studying and seeking inspiration. Eventually, after years of visiting castles and centuries-old manors, they were inspired to bring the look back home.

“We’d see these castles in mountain towns in Europe, built of natural stone and tucked into the hillside, and that seemed possible to accomplish here in the Ozarks,” says Joan. She and Bruce purchased acreage on a mountainside near Fayetteville and constructed the European-style manor house of their dreams.

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Built from Scratch

August 19, 2009 by ark_admin

Of the many things Connie and Larry Gulick loved about their early 1900s home in Russellville, the kitchen was definitely not one of them. A small room that had last been updated in the 1970s, their old kitchen had appliances and an avocado green color that were sorely outdated. And it lacked room for a dishwasher altogether, leaving Connie with the arduous task of hand washing plates after get-togethers with family and friends.

While the Gulicks’ desired a more efficient kitchen, they also hoped to create a space that would blend with the Colonial-style of their home. “I wanted it to look like it was always part of the house, not like it was a new kitchen with old cabinets,” Connie explains. The couple opted to add on, designing a long, rectangular kitchen with ample spaces for both cooking and dining, and including a fireplace as a gathering spot for friends and family. To execute their plan, they hired a contractor to put up the framework and then took on the task of finishing out the space. “We are total do-it-yourselfers,” says Connie.

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Colorfully Craftsman

August 19, 2009 by ark_admin

On most evenings a crowd can be found in Dave and Stacy Grundfest’s Little Rock kitchen. While their 18-year-old son and his buddies rummage through the pantry looking for snacks, their 14-year-old daughter and her friends sit on barstools at the counter and do their homework. Meanwhile, Stacy and Dave wander through the room, prepping dinner at the island, sautéing at the stove and eventually serving dinner to the remaining gang.

But these kinds of daily interactions weren’t always so easy. When Dave, a commercial general contractor, and Stacy built their home 15 years ago, they opted for a bungalow-style interior with smaller, more separated rooms. Though they loved their home’s Craftsman styling, as their family grew the kitchen area in particular began to feel cramped.

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A Golden Glow