NEUTRAL GEAR

THE BEFORE & AFTER ISSUE

A burled wood console table offers a drop spot for mail and keys at the front entry. Garden stools and graphic art give a hint of what’s to come in the house.

Neutral Gear STYLE REFRESH

BEFORE

hen Jill White first met the o ners of this Little Rock home, she knew that with several coats of fresh paint, a few updated furnishings, and some current accessories she could help them infuse their fun-loving style into their home. “This was a great house, but it wasn’t truly reflective of their personality,” she says. The couple had worked with Jimmy Lasley to build the home in 2007 but, as time had passed, hadn’t put the same attention to detail into the furnishings. “Even though it’s a newer home, they wanted someone to help them truly finish it out,” the designer says.

Jill updated the design without making any major structural changes and made an effort to use as many of the owners’ existing pieces as possible. For example, a high-contrast black-andwhite rug stayed in the dining room, while artwork was shifted from room to room in order to work well with new furniture layouts. Above all, the palette unites the updated look. “Every room has black, white, gold, and wood. It’s such a cohesive color story throughout the house,” Jill says.

HOME WORK “We went back and forth on how to best use this room,” Jill says of the office (above), which is located just off the front entry. “Before it was a random mix of stuff,” she adds. She pulled an underused table from the screened porch and paired it with a new desk chair to create the setup. Leather chairs from Cantrell Furniture Design Center are a shapely and comfortable spot for guests, while a potted olive tree from Antique Brick Outdoor brings a bit of green to the space.

Drum shade pendants were swapped for gold cone-style versions to add a current polish.

TABLE FOR FOUR One of the biggest updates came in the kitchen where dark countertops were traded for a white quartz that fits perfectly with the new palette. Previously, one side of the island had an overhang with limited room for barstools; when updating the surface, they opted to extend the countertop and create a second overhang, providing space to comfortably accommodate the entire family, which includes the couple’s teenage twins.

SherwinWilliams’ “Tricorn Black”

BEFORE

TWEAKED TO PERFECTION In the dining room, Jill worked with the existing sheers, artwork, and rug. “This rug was really the starting point for the whole house,” she says, pointing out the strong black-and-white palette that runs through each room. A custom walnut table by local artisan Tommy Farrell is the focal point and can seat up to eight. Light walls were traded for a dark black, while a gold fixture was exchanged for a contemporary matte black option.

FUN & FUNCTIONAL The living room needed to be equally practical and chic. For starters, Jill specified a performance fabric on the roomy sofa, making it easy to clean. Swivel chairs with a low-profile back pivot to look into the kitchen, allowing conversation to flow from the island’s work surface to the living area. A painting by Little Rock artist Emily Cobb was relocated from the dining room to a prominent wall in the living room.

SherwinWilliams’

“Dover White”

BEFORE

IN A NEW LIGHT The master bedroom’s window placement prohibited the bed from being centered on a wall. Jill remedied the problem with an extended Roman shade that covers one of the windows. A platform bed, burled wood chests, and abstract art complete the look while adhering to the home’s palette.

BEFORE

Style updates, including graphic wallpaper by Lindsay Cowles, a swing-arm light fixture, and riveted metal mirror, create drama in the powder bath.

BEFORE

The stairway was dressed up with a soft antelope runner and a black faux alligator wallpaper.

Abstract artwork from Providence Design completes the vignette.

BEFORE

Design Resources ARCHITECT (ORIGINAL) Scott Smith, AIA, Smith Associates Architects BUILDER (ORIGINAL) Jimmy Lasley, The Lasley Company INTERIOR DESIGN Jill White, Jill White Designs ACCESSORIES Antique Brick Outdoor and Jill White Designs ART Emily Cobb, M2 Gallery, and Providence Design BEDDING, FABRICS, HARDWARE, LIGHTING, OUTDOOR FURNISHINGS, RUGS, AND WALLPAPER Jill White Designs CABINETRY Kimberly Cabinets CARPET (STAIR RUNNER) Akel’s Carpet One COUNTERTOPS Advanced Bath & Kitchen FANS Light Innovations FURNITURE Cantrell Furniture Design Center, Cobblestone & Vine, Jill White Designs, and Tommy Farrell MIRRORS Jill White Designs and Ransom Interiors PAINT Sherwin-Williams PAINTING Ricardo’s Painting WINDOW COVERINGS Draped & Tailored