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Happy House

December 29, 2020 by Tiffany Adams

A Little Rock couple calls on an old friend to design a new-construction home packed with personality

When Lisa and David Trent first started thinking about building their dream home in the Heights, there was no question about who to call to help make it happen. Lisa had been friends with designer Kevin Walsh since college, and she knew she could trust him to bring her vision to life. “Kevin and I were fast friends when we first met. We clicked immediately,” Lisa says. “Plus, I love his work and knew he would guide me in the right direction.”

While this house was built from the ground up, Lisa had owned a smaller cottage on the same lot for years. Her and David’s main motivation for building new was for a more spacious home suitable for the kind of casual, everyday entertaining they enjoy. Another request was to keep the master bedroom on the ground floor. Kevin worked with a draftsman to incorporate everything on the Trents’ wish list, all while keeping a sizable front lawn and outdoor living space in the back. “We didn’t even initially talk about a second floor. We came to that once we started laying things out and seeing what sizes rooms should be,” Kevin says of the space-planning stage. …

A New Outlook

December 29, 2020 by Tiffany Adams

In Little Rock, Jill Lawrence helps a pair of empty nesters transform their home to enjoy for years to come

With a central Little Rock location, spacious backyard, and sunroom near the kitchen where the kids could play within sight, this home was a perfect choice when the owners and their toddler-age sons moved in almost 20 years ago. However, with both boys out of the house, the couple realized their needs had changed. “We looked around but really didn’t find anything in a location we loved as much as this one,” one of the owners says. “We thought, Why not take the money we would have put into a new house and use it for a renovation?” Having worked with their neighbor and local interior designer Jill Lawrence on small projects previously, they called on her to create a roadmap for a reinvented version of the beloved home while bringing in style updates along the way.

For starters, several of the spaces were given a new function. On the main level, the dining room was turned into a billiards room, a galley-style living area and sunroom were combined to create a comfortable den, and a space adjacent to the kitchen that was previously used as a keeping room became the new dining space. Downstairs, a reconfiguration of square footage allowed for a larger master bath as well as a completely new bathroom, giving each of the couple’s sons privacy when visiting.

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Blended Style

November 23, 2020 by Tiffany Adams

A Little Rock designer helps Mechan and Dr. Susanna Shermer meld their distinct styles in a cohesive, well-loved family home

Dr. Susanna Shermer has always had a knack for reviving homes in her favorite Little Rock neighborhoods, the Heights and Hillcrest. However, when she and wife Mechan first stepped foot in their current home, they had different thoughts about just how much renovation the place required. “When this house came on the market, Mechan was like, Oh, it’s perfect! We don’t have to do anything,” Susanna recalls. “And I was over here going, this has good bones, but we can change everything.”

As soon as they moved in, Susanna got to work on the spaces she recognized as areas for improvement. “She’s touched every part of this home,” Mechan says of Susanna’s involvement in the process, which included painting all the walls, removing heavy draperies, and updating the kitchen with new countertops and a concrete finish on the brick pillars. “My preference is so neutral and light and airy, and everything was a lot darker when we moved in,” Susanna says.

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Creative Outlet

November 23, 2020 by Tiffany Adams

An eye for design and a passion for creativity combine in Jonathan Stiers’s Rogers home

Design is a way of life for Northwest Arkansas native Jonathan Stiers. Even before graduating from the University of Arkansas, he began working as a graphic designer with Walmart and has risen in rank, having the opportunity to change departments and focus over the course of two-plus decades with the company. Today, he works with their sister brand, Sam’s Club, as the senior creative director for their private label. However, he doesn’t check his ingenuity at the office door; it manifests itself at home.

“I encourage people in creative roles to find a secondary outlet to help avoid burnout—something you can have 100 percent ownership and influence over,” Jonathan says. Taking his own advice, he started blogging about food and home interiors. “I love styling things and bringing a scene to life. It’s all about trying to create a moment you want to live in—much like my work,” he says. “I also enjoy doing interior design in my home. In this realm, I don’t have to negotiate with anyone but myself.”

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Blushing Beauty

November 23, 2020 by Tiffany Adams

Shades of pink and vintage-inspired accessories inspire this Little Rock home’s Christmas decor

Anna Dickinson likes to think outside the box. Having spent a number of years in the design industry, formerly as the owner of Little Rock home design store White Goat and now as owner and lead wedding designer and planner at Perception by Anna, she’s been exposed to a variety of styles. This continues to push her to go beyond the norm when it comes to her own home.

After starting their family in a smaller house, she and her husband, Thomas, felt the need for more space, which prompted a move to a nearby neighborhood. “I walked into this house, and it had the aesthetic appeal I was looking for. I especially liked the wide plank floors, the beams, and these unique little latches on all of the doorknobs,” she says. Anna hired Katie Rees of Katie Grace Designs to help her “put the puzzle pieces together,” using her collection of vintage home goods along with a few new additions. “I can walk into a wedding venue or someone else’s home and tell you exactly where to put things because I’m not personally attached to them; but it’s much different in your own home,” she says.

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Back to Nature

November 2, 2020 by Tiffany Adams

An unexpected twist in a family’s home search leads to an outdoor-inspired design filled with comfort and style

Making their home in a Jonesboro subdivision was not part of the plan for Britni and Josh Brown. “We had purchased 10 acres, revised a house plan, and were pulling the permit to build when we got a call about this house,” Britni says. However, with a wooded landscape, nine acres to roam, and even backyard access to a lake, the property hardly felt like it was in the middle of a neighborhood. “I’m attracted to older homes, so I wanted to see this house,” Britni says. “And, as soon as I saw the backyard, I fell in love. We couldn’t have gotten the natural landscape on the other land.”

While the setting drew the couple in enough to lay their plans to build aside, the interior of the home also spoke to them. “I knew there was a lot of potential inside,” Britni says. Having built a home once before, she recalls not being hands-on during the process and felt like the outcome didn’t truly reflect their tastes. “I thought, Styles are going to change, so you might as well do what you want,” she recalls.

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Country Made Modern

November 2, 2020 by Tiffany Adams

Guided by her connection to nature and interior designer Ashley Cardiel, Michele Anthony builds her dream home in Northwest Arkansas

El Dorado native Michele Anthony had been living in downtown Fayetteville for several years when she got the itch to move to the country. The idea started small, with Michele taking drives from time to time to look at property right outside of town. “I kept coming back to this land. There was something about it that spoke to me,” she recalls. “I could envision a house up on the hill and everything.”

As soon as she purchased the property, Michele started to dream up the details of her ideal home. “Part of my inspiration was to bring in some of the features of my dad’s cabin in El Dorado, like the open concept, stone fireplace, and exposed beams,” she says. “But I also wanted it to have modern features so it didn’t look completely rustic.” Michele assembled a team of professionals, including Legend Builders and Parkco Architects, to help bring this concept to life. For interior design, she has her sister, Andrea Brooks, to thank for the introduction to Ashley Cardiel Interiors; Andrea was already working with the designer to remodel a house of her own in Fayetteville, and she suggested the two get together. “It worked out great, too, because Ashley got me very quickly. There were very few things she would show me that I didn’t like,” Michele says.

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Full Circle

November 2, 2020 by Tiffany Adams

A beloved setting turns out to be the perfect homesite for designer Heather Fuller’s comfortable and casual family home

When Heather and Bryan Fuller were married in a west Little Rock barn 21 years ago, it wasn’t in the plan to move to the property where they said I do. “I never would have guessed we’d be living here and the barn would be a part of our lives forever,” Heather says of the picturesque property that is close enough to the city to allow for an easy commute but far enough away to reap the benefits of country living. “There was nothing out here at that time, and this piece of land had the barn and a cabin that was a bed and breakfast,” she recalls.

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Take Your Time

October 1, 2020 by Tiffany Adams

A blend of early Americana and English influence brings warmth and charm to this collected Little Rock home

“It’s a little Southern, a little English, and a little Colonial,” Donna Dickey says of the Chenal home she shares with her husband, Bruce. Though the couple moved in two and a half years ago, Donna—who served as both interior designer and contractor on the project—still considers the house a work in progress. “The key is patience. I don’t buy anything just to fill a spot,” she says. “I only buy things I love, then I’ll find a spot for them.”

When it comes to décor, this is the intentional mindset Donna has had for decades. “Some of the pieces in my house I’ve had for 30 years,” she says, pointing to collections of antique rugs, nautical-inspired oil paintings, and barley twist furniture and accessories throughout the house. “I like interiors that look like they’ve taken time.”…

Historical Context

October 1, 2020 by Tiffany Adams

In Little Rock, a team of professionals thoughtfully updates a home designed by architect Fay Jones

Maintaining integrity was top priority when interior designer Brittany Nixon Brun and architectural designer Rodney Parham began to update a home by famed Arkansas architect Fay Jones. Built in 1964, Pine Knoll, as the property is known, was in good condition when the new owners purchased it; however, after almost 60 years, it was time to modernize its amenities.

“I was kind of nervous about working on an icon’s project,” Rodney says of Jones, who is the namesake of the University of Arkansas School of Architecture and Design. “I told everyone in my office that I was going to touch it with a feather,” he adds of his careful approach. The homeowners echoed this desire for mindfulness as they spent days researching decisions, sourcing products, and going about the process hand-in-hand with both Rodney and Brittany. “In working on the house, whenever we came to a challenge, we’d always ask ourselves, What would Fay do?” one of the owners says. The saying became a type of mantra for the design team in solving for both planned updates as well as the unforeseen. “This is a case of the right person buying the right house,” Brittany adds. “They wanted everything to feel cohesive and look like it has always been in place.” …

Happy House

A New Outlook

Blended Style

Creative Outlet

Blushing Beauty

Back to Nature

Country Made Modern

Full Circle

Take Your Time

Historical Context

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At Home in Arkansas