2021 Cashiers Designer Showhouse’s Virtual Ticket

Written By: Luke Osteen | Issue: Whats News

For two decades, the Cashiers Historical Society has teamed with Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Magazine to present the Cashiers Designer Showhouse, a place where renowned designers from across the Southeast flock to transform a breathtaking Cashiers estate. 

  It’s the Historical Society’s primary annual fundraiser and vital to its mission of preserving the heritage of the Cashiers Valley through education, stewardship and advocacy. 

  However, a Covid-inspired desire for rural luxury led to a real estate boom that left the Historical Society in a unique situation in 2021; no homes were available for the annual Showhouse event. 

   This required a fresh look at what “home” is for the 24th annual Showhouse. The Historical Society decided to capitalize on one of the most popular installments in the 2020 Showhouse and Go Glamping and adopted the theme of Home is Where the Heart Is. 

 With a stage set by six identical Diamond Brand Gear tents, Acorns Boutique (Old Edwards Inn & Spa), Alexander Interiors, DWH Interiors, PLATT, Spruce Interiors, and Tribus created out-of-this-world glamping experiences for guests- redefining the spirit of escapism and bringing the sentiment of adult summer camp to life.

  In choosing the designers’ glamping tents, Cashiers Historical Society sought a brand in western North Carolina with historical roots that embraced their Home is Where the Heart Is concepts of Conservation, Preservation and Stewardship. 

  They found one in Diamond Brand Gear, located in Asheville. Established in 1881, Diamond Brand settled in the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina in 1942, intent on preserving the art of sewing while continuing their rich history of supporting

and outfitting both the Boy Scouts of America and the military with backpacks, tents and other gear.

  In addition to the six Atlas wall tents, Diamond Brand Gear revealed their newest tent at the Showhouse, the LMNL tent system – an innovative glamping tent uniquely positioned to serve a broad array of end users, from those looking to earn income in the booming outdoor lodging market to individuals seeking a backyard getaway. 

  It wasn’t just the CDS glamping tents that were made in the USA. Guyline rope sponsor BlueWater Ropes is a family-owned American rope manufacturer with roots tracing back to their family textile business that began manufacturing in Georgia in 1903.

These six glamping tents weathered two tropical storms during the Cashiers Designer Showhouse. Thanks to the clever, functional and stylish design choices by the designers, combined with tried-and-true Diamond Brand Gear tents and BlueWater Ropes’ guylines, the designers remained able to convey feelings of relaxed serenity for Showhouse guests, even in the midst of flooding and winds from major storms.

  For centuries, naturalists have explored the southern Appalachian Mountains, one of the most biologically diverse regions in the temperate world. 

  Biodiversity is extremely high in terms of both the variety of different species and the abundance of each species. Nearly 10,000 species are already known to exist, with more discovered each year–some of which are new to science. Additionally, the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau sits at the headwaters of six different watersheds.  

   When deciding to go glamping for their 24th Showhouse, the Historical Society decided to use their voice and design platform to amplify the efforts of societies and organizations seeking to educate homeowners about responsible development. The Cashiers Historical Society proudly partnered with eight stewardship partners, The Blue Ridge Bartram Trail Conservancy, Duke Energy, Highlands Plateau Audubon Society, Highlands Biological Foundation, Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust, The Ruffed Grouse Society, Trout Unlimited, and Witherspoon Platt + Associates to form a series of panel discussions with conversations about areas where style and stewardship meet.

  Stewardship panel discussions include:

  Development and Conservation, regarding development and conservation of private lands and how good stewardship helps protect our natural ecosystem, creating habitat for wildlife.

   Clean Energy and Conservation, a panel of experts from Duke Energy speak about their clean energy strategy, hydropower and stewardship of Lake Glenville.

   Hunter’s Conservation, regarding how hunting plays a role in good stewardship, creating balance in local ecosystems and protecting habitat for wildlife.

   Benefitting Biodiversity, local leaders discuss best practices in protecting habitat and benefitting biodiversity.

  Covid-19 mandates meant a mostly virtual event last year, but the Cashiers Historical Society quickly found that their virtual tours were a hot ticket- with viewers and showhouse-enthusiasts across the globe. 

  This year’s virtual ticket offers a content-rich lineup, including Matterport 3D virtual tours of each of the glamping tents, designer interviews, videos of panel discussions, children programming with interviews of designers and CDS artist resident Shannon Whitworth, and more. Panel discussions not only include conservation talks with CDS Stewardship Partners, but Design Day talks including an architects’ panel and a preservation panel with the team from Blackberry Farm’s newly renovated High Hampton Resort. 

  Virtual tickets are complimentary for any guest that bought a physical ticket and $25 for anyone excited to see how this team of six designers redefined glamping and eager to learn how a style-oriented event can use its design platform to encourage conservation, preservation and stewardship to affect posterity.

 Visit cashiershistoricalsociety.org/2021showhousevirtualticket