efore this home’s outdoor living areas were remodeled, its owners had a problem: The spaces were only usable for a few months of the year. Now, thanks to a renovation that included enclosing an open cabana to create a pool house and furnishing the front porch, one of the happy homeowners describes a more welcome dilemma: “It’s hard to pick a place to sit!” she laughs. “We have so many favorite spots now. It’s all so relaxing and inviting.” For this transformation, she and her husband have designer Katie Rees to thank. They started working with Katie on their interiors (featured in the May 2020 issue of At Home), then gradually worked their way outside. “After working together to lighten all the home’s dark, rustic cedar interiors, we quickly moved on to update the exterior, as well,” Katie says. One of the biggest challenges was turning the pavilion into a true indoor/ outdoor space. “It had gone through two or three different phases, but until Katie got her hands on it, we were never quite satisfied,” one of the homeowners says. “It was originally open on both ends, but that limited it to really about two months out of the year. Then we tried to close it in with curtains; we just knew it had
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54 At Home in Arkansas | March 2021
more potential.” When enclosing the space, the team added not only walls and windows, but insulation and air conditioning units as well to make it comfortable, no matter the season. Once enclosed, Katie set to work updating finishes and furnishings to coordinate with the main house’s style while maintaining poolside durability. For example, flagstone flooring was replaced with tile to give the pool house a more interior feel, and both the tile and outdoor furnishings ensure the space is family, dog, and swimmer friendly. Original cedar beams complement the pool house’s new white paint color, while industrial elements—including the star of the show, a glass-front garage door—tie the space’s modern farmhouse feel to the main home. “We came up with the idea of the garage door because it’s aesthetically appealing, but you can still see the beautiful view outside,” Katie says. The updates extend to the front porch as well as various seating and dining areas around the pool, all of which flow seamlessly with the overall design of the home. “It’s become our family gathering room now, especially during these times,” one of the homeowners says. “It’s made it possible to have get-togethers with our extended family while keeping our distance.”