Go Green!

April 19, 2009 by ark_admin

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Around the Color Wheel

March 23, 2009 by ark_admin

When you arrive at the El Dorado home that designer Andrea Brooks shares with her husband Jay and their two sons, Jay Anthony and Evan, the first thing you notice is her canary-yellow front door. In fact, it’s drawn lots of notice from neighbors as well. “I’ve been trying to slow down traffic on Madison Avenue, and the door definitely did the trick for about a week,” she says.

The fun, whimsical feeling established at the front door is certainly carried throughout the home’s interior. “This house just had a very quirky feel to me when we first moved in,” Andrea says. “It has very traditional bones, but something about it seemed anything but.” The historic home is the ideal showplace for Andrea and Jay’s collection of antiques, some inherited from their families, and some collected from various spots they’ve lived or traveled. However, she maintains a lighthearted atmosphere by pairing classic and contemporary pieces against a backdrop of eye-catching color. “The color scheme doesn’t exactly follow any standard combination,” she says. “It dances around the color wheel but attempts to stick with hues of the same saturation and value.”
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Spatial Recognition

March 23, 2009 by ark_admin

Kim and Blake Evans’ Fayetteville home sits atop a sloping lot, which played into the overall landscape plan created by exterior designer Daniel Keeley of DK Design in Fayetteville. “The size of the house and its sloping lot made scale a very important factor,” Daniel says. “Especially in terms of how much planting area would be needed to visually ground the house.” Kim wanted the gardens to be very simple and predominantly green and white, so Daniel and his team incorporated lots of evergreens, such as boxwood, laurel and juniper mixed with white Gaura, Crepe Myrtles and carpet roses. “We did break the green and white rule a little with places patches of Russian sage, which really makes everything pop with its silver foliage and lavender blue flowers,” Daniel says. “Once the landscape was determined, we moved on to furnishing the outdoor spaces.”

Thanks to the size of the lot, Daniel was able to craft several outdoor living areas. “I was guided by the interior colors from the adjacent rooms, and we were lucky because the house’s design naturally defined several outdoor living spaces through the hardscapes. That allowed us to focus on furnishings, rather than having to spend a lot of effort establishing privacy and visual delineation,” he says.

Four main living areas make up the backyard, each with its own personality and function. The main outdoor room is referred to as the cabana, and it’s enclosed on three sides and includes a kitchen. “We wanted this to be a multifunctional space, but more importantly we wanted it to be comfortable,” Daniel says. “This is where Kim, Blake and their family and friends gather to cook out, watch television or just enjoy being outside.” Surrounding the pool, Daniel placed sleek chaise lounges with bolster pillows for sunning. The outdoor fireplace is positioned near the pool, and it’s just steps from the master bedroom. “We envisioned this area as an intimate relaxation spot mainly for Kim and Blake,” Daniel says. “We furnished it accordingly with a couple of comfortable chairs, an ottoman upholstered in outdoor leather and a small side table for drinks and snacks.”

The sunken living space, positioned outside the downstairs guest suite, is known as the portico, thanks to its small covered-porch entry. “We considered this a secret oasis to be enjoyed by guests and the homeowners alike,” Daniel says. “It offers cushioned furniture and a soothing fountain, and is the perfect place for morning coffee, evening wine or curling up and reading a book.” Finally the veranda is the upstairs covered balcony located off of the game room. “We definitely wanted to carry the social feel of the game room outdoors, and we installed a large sofa, chairs and a portable ottoman for plenty of seating. ”

Design Resources:
Exterior design, furnishings: Daniel Keeley, DK Design, Fayetteville

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A Livable Space

February 16, 2009 by ark_admin

When Elise Mitchell and her husband Raye built their Fayetteville home on a wooded lot, the backyard was a simple clearing of grass and trees. “The land was sloped to begin with, but then when we constructed the loggia, we had to increase the ground height of the site, creating an even steeper slope,” she says. “It was not an ideal setting to enjoy.” After taking a few years off from construction, the Mitchells decided it was time to tackle the unusable backyard. “We wanted the overall design to match the style of the home,” Elise says. “And to have an appropriate transition between the outdoor spaces and the woods beyond, which we kept in its natural state.”

The Mitchells brought together an impressive team of professionals, including landscape architect Travis Brooks, project manager Hannah Finley McNeil of Kay Architecture, Luther Stem Pools, and exterior designer Daniel Keeley of DK Design. “Originally there wasn’t a lot of usable space,” says Daniel. “We focused on creating very livable spaces outside that stayed with the Tuscan feel of the home and the existing loggia, but the Mitchells had also recently spent time at a Moroccan-themed resort where they fell in love with the rich colors and fabrics. We were able to incorporate that influence into the scheme with furniture cushions, throw pillows and even the glazed planters that we used as table bases.”

Function as well as beauty took center stage in this outdoor addition. “We entertain quite frequently and love to do so,” Elise says. “This is what makes a house feel more like a home—when friends are here!” Keeping this in mind, Daniel chose furnishings that were beautiful and comfortable, but also very durable. “Since we knew there would be a lot of activity involving their children and friends, we chose high-quality pieces that would offer great style and perform at the level necessary to hold up to wear and tear.” Daniel chose several pieces from Summer Classics furniture and crafted custom pieces with Sunbrella fabrics. “As always, we used a lot of wonderful planters to complete the space and to add softness and define the different areas,” he says. “Balance and symmetry were very important because of the powerful architecture involved with the cabana and fountain. We tried to create an elegant and harmonious feel by respecting and complementing the wonderful space that Hannah and Travis created.” Elise finds she and Raye most enjoy sitting by the fire in the loggia on a chilly night. “You feel like you’re cheating Mother Nature when you can sit outside in the winter,” she says.

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Glam It Up

February 16, 2009 by ark_admin

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A Gallery of Design

February 16, 2009 by ark_admin

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The Sunset Scene

February 15, 2009 by ark_admin

After purchasing their waterfront home, these homeowners devoted an entire summer to reconfiguring the backyard of their home, located on a serene branch of the Arkansas River. They headed up the work themselves, designing the overall layout of the backyard and even taking care of some of the labor, including installing the steel piers under the deck and pouring the foundation for the family’s prayer bench. “I really enjoy the work,” he says. “I even made the stone tables with the lifting power of five of my friends. I picked out the large slabs of stone, cut them to size and shaved them down.”

With the original space only affording overgrown bushes and a sand burr-filled yard, they focused on making the backyard family friendly, which included adding a fence, a deck, a pool with a patio and a fireplace. “Landscape Specialists installed new sod for us, and Tim Sutterfield of Leslie created all the stonework from the pool surround to the fireplace,” he says. “I sketched what I wanted for the fireplace and he made it happen.” The fireplace doubles as a pizza oven and offers built-in log holders for easy use. “It all turned out great,” he says. “We really enjoy being outside, and with the fireplace, we can be comfortable almost year round. The kids love roasting marshmallows and hot dogs, and we chose comfortable furniture so we can really relax.”

After the months of hard work, the family is now able to enjoy their piece of nature. “The location is perfect,” he says. “We feel like we live in a vacation home, but we’re in town. The kids can fish from the dock, we can easily take our boat out, and we see all kinds of wildlife from deer to bald eagles. One of our favorite things is the sunsets. They are so incredible over the water. It’s a great place to raise a family.”

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A Natural Gathering Place

February 15, 2009 by ark_admin

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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