Homes
A Colorful Christmas
A Rogers floral designer and her artist husband fill their lakeside home with bright colors and fresh flowers for the holidays
BY
Laura Keech Allen
PHOTOGRAPHY
Brian Meredith

Jo and Randy Buttram made certain to take their time when designing and building their Rogers home, located on five acres on Beaver Lake. For this creative duo, it was imperative to make the most of the lot’s waterfront location and amazing views. “We love the water. It’s so calming, healing and peaceful,” says Jo, an Arkansas Master Florist and member of the American Academy of Floriculture who also owns Shirley’s Flowers in Rogers.

To get acquainted with their new home base, Jo and Randy spent long hours on the land before the real design work began, walking through the woods, reading books and enjoying the scenery. “We went at sunrise and sunset to check out the different views and get the lay of the land,” says Jo. The result is a Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired home, designed by architect Edwin R. Buttram and built by Bruce Jensen Construction with expansive walls of glass, which were planned around the views that would dominate each room. “It was worth the time and effort,” Jo says, “because now we have views of the cliff waterfall from our living room and bedroom, and of the Highway 12 bridge from our dining room.”

The colors and shapes of nature were the major inspiration for the home’s clean, elegant look and neutral color palette. “With both of our lives being so crazy during the week, we love coming home to the simple, unfussy lines of the house,” Jo says. Stone, wood and concrete are the most prominent materials, providing a textural backdrop for the Buttrams’ collection of art and Jo’s floral creations, as well as their fun, lighthearted holiday décor.

As a florist who decorates many homes for the holiday season, Jo always makes sure her own home is finished first, usually in early November. Bright colors and fresh flowers pop up throughout the home, along with family ornaments and an ever-changing array of accessories from Shirley’s. “Flowers are really one of the key elements,” she says. “They add a wonderful touch of texture and color that is like none other.”

From year to year, Jo keeps the basic structure and bright colors of her holiday décor the same, changing out elements such as ribbon and ornaments and relocating collections, like the nutcrackers and Santa sculptures. “I feel like I’m never quite finished decorating,” Jo says. “I can always think of more and more.”

As much as Jo and Randy enjoy decorating the home, it’s the time they get to spend there with friends and family, including their 27-year-old daughter Shelby, that makes the time so special. “Every Christmas morning we put on The Pointer Sisters’ ‘Better Watch Out’ and open presents,” Jo says. “The whole family comes over for Christmas brunch, and we spend the day watching movies, playing games and, of course, eating!”