Linage inspires space for children

The Cox family in Benton is your typical all- American family – hard working (and martial artsy) father, school teacher mother, three honor roll children and Yorkie named FiFi. All-American for certain but, with a British lineage.

I was asked by my friend Stacy Cox (the mother of the family) to help design a bonus room for her three children: two boys and a girl.

When I first arrived, all I saw was a sad little extra room at the top of the stairs. Aside from a bit of resistance from the man of the house, everyone was ready for a change.

I was asked by the father, “What’s wrong with the room?” to which I replied, “What’s right with it!?” He reluctantly conceded to the “happy wife, happy life” mantra and so my work began.

Cox is a British/Welsh surname and the Yorkie, well, that’s a British pooch (even though she has a decidedly French name).

I took their British background as the inspiration for this room. With the “theme” in my head, I set out to find any and all things British.

My usual haunts did not let me down. I found the key central piece: a distressed Union Jack coffee table created by Vanicka Newell, owner of King’s Antique Mall. But, I knew the room needed additional impact – something that would make it stand apart from any other bonus room, which is where the photo wall mural came in. The mural was the perfect backdrop to create the ‘Brit Grit’ look I was going for.

These two pieces instantly aided in creating the palette for the room which was variations of grey, with bold pops of red and blue and just a hint of white.

I added some antiqued brick wallpaper to break all the grey and carry the London vibe the mural created. Add in a couple of cool charcoal nail-head chairs from Ivan Smith to flank the oncoming Double Decker bus, a vivid red sofa from Ashley Furniture with edgy graffiti pillows from Bewleys, (the furry pillows are an homage to the Changing Guards of Buckingham Palace), a super sleek blue nail-head chair from Dillard’s, which acts as the daughters “throne,” an awesome graffiti rug, also from Ivan Smith, some inexpensive British-themed art and accessories and another quintessential British icon: a London phone booth door mural. Voila! A room fit for a king – or in this case, two princes and a princess.

Oh, and the “king” gave me the ultimate compliment. “It’s nice,” the father said.

I’ll take it.