Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Personal space
Where I live: Brookbury neighborhood in Fayetteville.
Occupation: Creative and marketing consultant, store owner, freelance designer, dad and drawer of things.
My favorite space is: our living room.
Why? It is the heart of our house. Here, we visit with friends and gather as a family. From the couch, we can enjoy the view of the woods behind our house and watch our dog chase squirrels off the deck.
The living room connects to the kitchen and dining areas, so no matter where we are in the space we are together. It is the place where family photos, art and heirlooms mingle. There is an eclectic mix of furnishings and decor, from the vintage stereo, to a bust of Chief Sequoyah, and a few commissioned art pieces sprinkled in, including a drawing of my daughter by Sally Nixon.
My daughter also has a kitchen and a tool bench in the corner that she calls her “coffee shop.” As my favorite barista, she brings my wife, Shannon, and me coffee and tea to the couch while we work on our laptops. It is very much a room where a lot of living happens.
If I could make one change to improve this space, I would: Add more art. Each piece tells part of our story, past and present. Oh, and more padding under our area rug. Old knees are no match for the games of an almost-6-year old and hardwood floors.
— Laurie Marshall