Private Residence

North Central Arkansas

The Owners for this private residence in North Central Arkansas, wanted to build a new home in which they could remain for the rest of their lives, literally. Both in their mid-eighties, they asked for a design that would allow them to “age-in-place”, accommodating in-home caretakers when the time came.

The long, narrow site, which lays out in a desirable east-west orientation for employing sustainable / energy-savings strategies, is situated at the end of the road, atop a mountainside point, overlooking the river valley below. The house is nestled between an entry drive to the north, and the steep face of the sloping mountainside to the south. This orientation allows the house form to take advantage of natural light from the north, and captures the spectacular views across the valley to the south.

The Owners wanted all the spaces of the home to have access to the view, and for the spaces to feel open to the surrounding natural landscape. The result is a semi-open plan, locating the majority of the living spaces on the ground level for accessibility. A large, dining/living/office central area separates the double master suite on the west from the kitchen/den on the east. Two guest suites can be found on the upper level for visiting children and grandchildren.

The double master suite, has two sleeping areas separated by a large master bathroom, allowing one sleeping area to be used by 24-hour caregivers should the need arise. Until then, one area serves as the master bedroom, and the other, located at the end of the house, serves as a dayroom with a bay window inspired design looking out to the valley below and wooded area to the north. The bathroom includes a large walk-in closet (safe room), zero-threshold walk-in shower to allow a walker or wheelchair to roll in, double vanities and double, private water closets. One of the water closets includes a large tub with a shower that can be used for a caregiver’s private bath if needed.

Taking advantage of the region’s many craftsmen, the outside of the home is clad in a combination of local stone and real stucco, copper chimney caps and an undulating stone wall that delineates the entry drive. Inside at the double height entry foyer, a custom built railing wraps the stairway to the upper level. The exterior grounds have been custom designed and feature many of the Owner’s favorite trees and flowers native to the region.