To the Trade
Elizabeth Nobles Long
An El Dorado designer returns to her hometown to apply the principles of good design to projects large and small
BY
Laura Keech Allen
PHOTOGRAPHY
Nancy Nolan

An El Dorado native, Elizabeth Nobles Long, Allied ASID, is passionate about design. Through her own projects as an interior designer and her retail store, Murphy Long Design, which was started by Sydney Murphy, she brings these principles to El Dorado and all of south Arkansas. With commercial and residential projects of every style and size on her agenda, a bustling store on the square to run, and her first child on the way, Elizabeth is a busy lady, but the opportunity to have her dream job in the town she loves makes all the juggling worthwhile.

Growing up, Elizabeth was always fascinated by art and design, experimenting with sculpture and painting and sketching floor plans—activities her parents encouraged wholeheartedly. “I was fortunate enough to have a family that could see my interests and exposed me to the fine arts, architecture and history through traveling across the United States and Europe,” she says. “Yes, I was one of those children who actually enjoyed being taken to the museum!” Discovering the field of interior design felt like a chance to combine all of her talents, and Elizabeth knew she’d found her path. “Interior design continually applies a wide scope of experiences to the functionality of everyday life,” she says.

While attending the interior design program at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, Elizabeth studied abroad in France and Italy before returning to El Dorado after graduation. In 2003, she began working for designer Sydney Murphy, who had started Sydney Murphy Design, a boutique and interior design business, on the downtown square. “When I began working under Sydney, I was immediately able to combine my personal skills and my training,” she says. “I helped finalize interior installations, painting and hardware schedules, furniture and fabric selections, window treatment design and everything else a busy design firm does.” She soon began working on her own projects, eventually purchasing the store, which was re-christened Murphy Long Design.

These days, Elizabeth’s job run the gamut from large, new construction projects requiring everything from space planning to furniture selection to smaller-scale decorating updates. Regardless of a project’s size or when she becomes involved, Elizabeth applies all of her knowledge and experience. “To me, this is the only way to produce a truly classic design that custom fits each client,” she says. “True works of art take time and thorough preparation.” After getting to know her clients and exploring their options, she spends time studying their lifestyles, tastes and budget allocations before beginning to sketch and collect materials.

Murphy Long Design’s retail store also plays an integral role in her design work. “It’s really our outward face to the world,” Elizabeth says. There, she offers customers furnishings, art and accessories in a range of styles, as well as a complete bridal registry, fine bedding and linens, and gifts like candles, stationery and glassware. Located on the south side of the square, it’s an essential destination for south Arkansas shoppers.

Offering her clients the best lines of furnishings, fabrics, hardware and more available on the design market today, Elizabeth strives to make every project “exactly what they wanted, only better.” Regardless of trends, she approaches each project on an individual basis, following classic principles of art and design. “I want my designs to be truly timeless, custom and comfortable for the client,” she says.