Pinehurst Carolina Dining Room

Pinehurst Resort,
Village of Pinehurst, North Carolina

THE CAROLINA DINING ROOM had become dated after years of hard use. Glavé & Holmes Architecture (G&HA) took on the challenge of renovating and refurbishing the space, working in tandem with a local architectural firm. Everything was renewed or replaced except for the luxurious Venetian glass chandeliers, which have added glamour to the room for a half-century. The G&HA design concept honors the architecture of the venerated space, but has freshened and lightened the former palette.

New carpet with a foliate design references the Transcendental Movement and the original design language of Frederick Law Olmstead, who designed the resort, along with the Boston architectural firm of Kendall, Taylor, and Stevens. The chairs and tables were replaced and the chairs were embellished with an embroidered floral fabric made in India for Stroheim fabrics. The window treatments are a sporty blue and white stripe and complement the yellow walls and the garden views that include a new courtyard with a central fountain.

The silver-plate serving vessels in the entrance of the room are from the Tufts Company, one of the many successful enterprises established by Pinehurst founder, James Walker Tufts. The art program tells the story of Pinehurst in photography and a collection of period menus, which feature holiday feasts and depression era pricing. The renovation was conceived comprehensively along with the rebranding of the restaurant, the recreation of a more casual and relaxed environment and a new menu with a focus on fresh, local, farm-to-table ingredients.