Designing The Heirloom with Mallorie Rasberry: The Retail Space
Hey y'all! Mal here.
One of my favorite parts of The Heirloom was getting to dream up all the little design details that made each space feel warm, welcoming, and full of character. I thought it would be fun to pull back the curtain a bit and share a few of my favorite choices from the retail space and why they mattered so much to me.
When we first began dreaming about the retail space inside The Heirloom Hotel, we knew one thing for certain, we didn't want it to feel like a typical hotel gift shop. We never imagined shelves lined with generic souvenirs or products that could have come from anywhere. Instead, we wanted every detail of the space to reflect the same intention behind the products themselves: thoughtfully designed, carefully crafted, and proudly made in America.
Episode two of Home Town: Inn This Together follows the transformation of this space, and while so much of what you see happens in a matter of minutes on television, every design decision was made with purpose.
Our goal was to create a beautiful backdrop for the incredible craftsmanship happening in our factory every single day. We wanted the space to quietly support the products, not compete with them.
Here are a few of my favorite design moments from the project.
The Original Maple Floors
One of the happiest surprises came when we uncovered the original maple floors and realized they were still in remarkable condition.
Not only did restoring them save a significant portion of our budget, but those hundred-year-old floors quickly became the foundation for the entire design. You simply can't recreate the warmth, patina, and character that comes with generations of life.
After the fire, one of the things I'm most thankful for is that we were able to salvage these floors. That alone felt like such a gift, and knowing they'll continue telling their story in a new way means more than I can say.
The Custom Checkout Counter
Our custom checkout counter quickly became one of my favorite focal points in the store.
We topped it with beautiful Scotsman maple countertops and painted the cabinetry in Sherwin-Williams Naval, a deep Americana blue that feels both timeless and classic.
Like Erin joked on the show, "Maple is like a good brassiere—it supports everything and makes it all look better."
She wasn't wrong.
The warmth of the maple paired with the rich blue grounded the entire room.
The Vintage Flag Banner
Some pieces find you.
Our friend Dayton Thompson discovered this incredible oversized vintage American flag banner while antiquing in New England, and the moment we saw it, we knew exactly where it belonged.
At more than twenty feet long, it was almost too large for the space. We actually had to fold several feet underneath while framing it because it simply wouldn't fit.
Huge thanks to Napier Frames for taking on that challenge.
It immediately became one of the biggest conversation pieces in the entire hotel.
Snoozy's Kitchen
Out of all 25,000 square feet we designed for The Heirloom, this tiny little nook beneath the stairs might honestly be the space I'm most proud of.
When we were planning the store layout, there was an awkward little area beneath the front staircase. Most people probably would have turned it into storage.
And honestly... that would've been practical.
But I kept thinking about my girls.
One of their favorite things to do is play kitchen. They've spent countless hours pretending, taking orders, making imaginary dinners, and creating entire little worlds. It's become one of my favorite corners of our own home.
I wanted children visiting The Heirloom to have that same experience.
So instead of a closet, we built Snoozy's Kitchen.
Our Scotsman team handcrafted miniature maple cabinetry modeled after the Retro Cooking School Kitchen, painted it Sherwin-Williams Alchemy, added cheerful red accents, engraved a stovetop using our CNC machine, installed a real sink, and even tucked in a dorm-sized refrigerator.
No plastic play kitchen was going to cut it.
It's colorful, nostalgic, and full of imagination—and watching children gather there has made every square inch worth it.
The Ceiling That Changed Everything
One of my biggest surprises ended up being... ceiling tiles.
I never imagined I'd be this passionate about them, but Rockfon's Chalk acoustic ceiling tiles completely changed the feel of the room.
Paired with Sherwin-Williams Polar Bear on the walls, they softened the space while improving the acoustics, creating a warmth I honestly wasn't expecting from something most people never even notice.
Sometimes the quietest design decisions end up making the biggest difference. At the end of the day, our team pours so much intention, skill, and pride into every product we make. We wanted the retail space to do the same.
Rather than creating something overly designed or trendy, we focused on building a space that feels warm, timeless, and understated—a place where the craftsmanship could take center stage.
Because the products were always meant to be the hero of the room.
Our job was simply to create a space worthy of showcasing them.
-Mallorie
