Date: April 9, 2013 | Story: Jennifer Bonds | Styling: Mandy Keener |
“Color is everything,” says designer Jennifer Huett, who worked with a busy family of five to update their Hot Springs home. “They are a very high-energy group,” she says of the Hannon family. “They like to live life to the fullest and didn’t need a serene space to come home to. They wanted a home that makes them happy.”
Happy, it is. Huett hit all of the high notes of a Crayola box, including vibrant red, earthy green, trendy turquoise and a deeply delightful purple, but did so gracefully enough that the homeowner’s heirloom antiques blend seamlessly into the more contemporary aesthetic. “We had to find a way to use three exuberant colors, but not have them feel forced,” Huett says. A wool rug from Company C featuring red, green and turquoise anchors the living room and became the jumping off point for the adjacent dining room, kitchen and breakfast area.
In the coral living room, an art installation made of reclaimed wood introduces the raw material, which is used throughout the home to temper the vibrant—and often cool—tones of the walls and fabrics. “Paint is an inexpensive way to introduce color,” says Huett. “If you’re unsure, try a piece of art or even a vase with brightly-colored flowers in it. Then, move up to an accent wall. If you keep the big pieces neutral, you can always change your mind.” To balance this space, an inherited pair of armchairs, recovered in red with a cheerful green piping, were paired with a neutral sectional sofa.
“I meet so many people who have storage units full of beautiful pieces that have been passed down to them,” says Huett. “They have proper emotional attachments to them but don’t know how to incorporate them into a more trendy or colorful look.” Huett, however, jumped in with both feet by fearlessly pairing the family’s English antiques with bright colors, modern art and new upholstery. As a result, the home feels unique and authentic.
She also gave the once builder-grade kitchen a custom facelift with new appliances and a backsplash by Inside Effects in Little Rock. She replaced the original island with one painted with a turquoise wash, adding not only color but also charm. Overhead, the interior of a drum shade is painted lime green, providing a playful and unexpected touch. In the same space, a demure antique chest coexists peacefully with a rustic, reclaimed wood pedestal table and chandelier.
Admist the color of the home’s main living areas, there is one retreat. The serene pale blue master bedroom provides an escape from the energy of the rest of the home. Garment-dyed linen panels from Bella Notte soften the wood-and-chrome testers on the bed, and a slipcovered armchair from Shabby Chic offers a soft spot to unwind at the end of the day.
As a mother of two girls herself, Huett immediately understood 15-year-old Peyton’s requests for color, and more color. “Teenagers tend to still enjoy the colors of childhood, but want a more grown-up space,” she says. “It needed to be livable, but fun.” The resulting space is vibrant, youthful and designed to foster and accommodate the active teen’s busy lifestyle.
To get the look, Huett recovered an existing upholstered bed in a mod gray and purple print from Duralee, and paired it with a turquoise tone-on-tone miniature cheetah print. “When using so many strong colors in one space, you have to choose your battles wisely,” she notes. “It’s important to keep fabric and art more subtle to give the eye a place to rest.” Reflective surfaces provide an alternative texture but don’t compete with the color scheme. “It’s not a big room, so the mirrors help bounce light around the space,” says Huett. “And chrome (found on the bedside lamp and nailheads) is just fun.” A glass chandelier, which hangs overhead, is without a doubt the focal point of the room. “I always try to give my clients something not everyone has,” says Huett. “When she came into the room for the first time there was definitely some squealing. Color can bring so much joy, and that’s what it’s all about.”
Design Resources
Designer Jennifer Huett, House to Home, Hot Springs, (501) 520-4949, shophousetohome.com
Accessories, furniture and lighting House to Home, Hot Springs, (501) 520-4949, shophousetohome.com
Appliances Metro Appliances and More, Jonesboro, (870) 933-7800, North Little Rock, (501) 758-1988, Springdale, (479) 750-2200, metroappliancesandmore.com
Artwork Gallery Central, Hot Springs, (501) 318-4278, gallerycentralfineart.com
Countertops Emcar Marble & Granite, Hot Springs, (501) 625-7194
Fresh floral Tipton & Hurst, Conway, (501) 329-6663, Little Rock, (501) 666-3333, North Little Rock, (501) 753-0709, tiptonhurst.com
Tile Inside Effects, Little Rock, (501) 954-8866, inside-effects.com
