Reese Rowland
Where I live: Little Rock's Midtown neighborhood
Occupation: Architect at Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects
My favorite space is: our kitchen/breakfast/hearth room.
Why? We are a family that enjoys being together. From the time we get home, our time is compressed between homework, cooking, having dinner, and a little downtime, so time together as a family is essential. Our home is an early 1960s ranch plan where the kitchen and breakfast areas are open to the hearth room. We literally spend all of our time in this space together. While preparing dinner, the kids can watch TV or do their homework, and we can all talk.
If I could make one change to improve this space, I would: Probably make the hearth room a little larger since our kids are getting older and bigger. There is no wasted space, and the house is compact and well planned; however, my wife would love more storage and a full laundry room as well. We have been looking for a home closer to our kids' school but have struggled to find a house as livable as ours and as convenient to our jobs and the places we go. Its location, just outside both Hillcrest and the Heights and near Midtown's amenities, is hard to beat. This has been our starter home for 15 years.
-- Linda S. Haymes
HomeStyle on 10/10/2015