2nd Place, Interior
Founded in 1910, Carolina Country Club reimagined its clubhouse dining environment to serve a younger cohort of country club members looking for a unique experience. The country club’s leaders enlisted Chapman Coyle Chapman Architecture & Planning, along with The Johnson Studio at Cooper Carry as interior designer, to modernize the club’s offerings and appeal to a larger demographic.
Intent on creating a distinctive space, the design team dug into the country club’s history and discovered it was once neighbors with North Carolina’s lost Bloomsbury Park. The theme park, which featured a roller coaster, carousel and intricate trolley network, was open 1912-20. Feeling inspired, the designers remodeled the country club’s bar, lounge and dining room, aptly named The Bloomsbury, with design elements and themes that hearken back to the whimsy and vintage character of the theme park.
Blue hues hearken back to the fanciful 1900s-era Bloomsbury Park. 
The refreshed dining room features table and booth seating with views looking out onto the course. 
A glowing wine wall functions as the centerpiece for the space. 
Rich wood and deep mauve tones create a moody atmosphere in the lounge. 
Country club members are invited to dine al fresco on the spacious outdoor patio. 
BEFORE: The design team preserved the charm of the rounded vaulted ceilings in the resulting refreshed dining room design. PHOTO: Carolina Country Club 
BEFORE: The original patio. PHOTO: Carolina Country Club 
BEFORE: Vintage stylings marked the original dining room. PHOTO: Carolina Country Club 
BEFORE: Another view of the original dining room. PHOTO: Carolina Country Club 
BEFORE: The lounge area previously sported a patterned wallpaper. PHOTO: Carolina Country Club 
Site plan. DRAWING: The Johnson Studio at Cooper Carry 
Building diagram. DRAWING: The Johnson Studio at Cooper Carry
PHOTOS: The Johnson Studio at Cooper Carry unless otherwise noted
Upon entry to the bar and lounge, rich colors and textures emulate the ambiance of a vintage streetcar. Deep-blue tones set a moody ambiance while plush seating and warm wood invite members to enjoy a drink by the fireplace or under the groin vaults of the bar space. As the focal point of the venue, the bar is a vibrant, energetic environment where members can convene after a rousing round of golf.
Transitioning from the bar to the formal dining room, the finishes shift to lighter tones. Pale blues and soft yellows speak to the theme park’s flora and fauna. A glowing wine wall provides a backdrop to the dining room while an operable wall opens onto the adjacent patio for an indoor-outdoor dining experience, framing views of the golf course.
Following the transformation of The Bloomsbury, the country club saw a 240 percent jump in reservations. General Manager Jack Slaughter calls the design “the single best improvement we have made to our clubhouse facilities since it opened in 1992.”
I thought this project was beautiful, specifically the color palette they used.
Samantha Scimé, AIA, NCARB, architect, social media marketing director, KMF Architects
Retrofit Team
Architect: Chapman Coyle Chapman Architecture & Planning
Interior Designer: The Johnson Studio at Cooper Carry
Owner: Carolina Country Club
Materials
Acoustical Plaster Finish: BASWA Acoustic
Lay-in Acoustical Ceiling Tile: Armstrong World Industries
Inset Area Rug: VERDE HOME
Epoxy Flooring: Sherwin-Williams
Fiber-reinforced Plastic: Marlite
Insulated Tempered Glass: McGrory Glass
Bar Leather Panels: Bjork Studio, (404) 350-8133
Metal Mesh: Katonah Architectural Hardware
Paint: Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams
Stone: Walker Zanger and Material Bespoke Stone + Tile
OFCI-upholstered Acoustic Panel: G&S Acoustics
Vinyl Tile: MDC Interior Solutions
Wood Flooring: Olde Savannah Flooring
