Personal space
Ashley Leopoulos
Where I live: Park Hill neighborhood in North Little Rock
Occupation: public relations coordinator for Arkansas Children’s Hospital Foundation
My favorite space is: our backyard deck.
Why? Our back deck is one of my favorite places in our home. My husband, Nick, and I have lived here five years this summer and we’ve loved turning this quaint 1949 house into our home. Nick worked tirelessly the first two years on the backyard, removing old flower beds and landscaping bricks to free up space. Three years ago, my parents asked me what I would like for my birthday. I asked for a deck. With my parents owning and operating their own construction business for more than 35 years, they gladly accepted the request.
We worked together as a family to complete the project. From sketching it out, prepping the ground, assembling the structure and placing the finishing touches, we each played a role in finishing the project on time.
Over the years, the deck has served as a place of celebration for birthdays, epic BBQs and friendsgivings. In the spring and summer the deck becomes our second living room and we’ll often eat dinner alfresco. If I could make one change to improve this space, I would: Our deck has been well-loved and could use a new coat of stain.