Whiskey and Woodwork

Designed as a fully functioning pub and gathering space, this room is a love letter to Kentucky and the traditions that surround it: rolling hills, horse country, bourbon, and hospitality.

Custom walnut cabinetry and paneling give the room its depth, with lighting integrated into the cabinetry and true wainscoting painted in a deep Farrow & Ball green. A custom brass foot rail wraps the bar, adding a detail that feels as if it has been polished by generations of patrons.

I spent months collecting antiques to give the room a history of its own. Lights salvaged from an old church hang overhead. Antique pub tables and chairs were found and recovered rather than replaced with something new. An old stained-glass window was installed in front of an existing commercial window, filtering the daylight and hiding the modern architecture behind it. The old pieces were intentionally worked into the new construction so nothing felt too new or too perfect.

Every detail was chosen to feel collected rather than decorated, balancing old-world character with finely crafted custom cabinetry. The result is a working pub designed for entertaining, storytelling, and gathering, with a distinctly Kentucky sense of place.