Ventfort Hall is one of Lenox’s largest Gilded Age mansions, a 28,000-square-foot summer cottage built in 1893 for George and Sarah Morgan, the sister of legendary financier J. Pierpont Morgan.  This Jacobean Revival-style mansion was designed by the architects Rotch & Tilden and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  Declared an official project of “Save America’s Treasures,” a Millennium program of Hillary Rodham Clinton and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Ventfort Hall is the home of The Museum of the Gilded Age and has become one of the county’s major cultural venues offering tours, lectures, theater, exhibitions, concerts, children’s programs, dance, and more.

In 2011, the Berkshire Designer Showcase at Ventfort Hall featured fourteen restored rooms and halls on the second floor that were transformed by the skill and artistic flair of Berkshire County antique dealers, artists, and interior designers.

Karen Beckwith’s Contribution to this Unique Event:

OM: Nurturing Her Inner Garden

... a flexible space for meditation, yoga, journaling and drawing, reading, napping, occasional hiding …

What makes a girl feel safe? 

For this designer, memories of my first outdoor play ‘fort’ underneath the skirt of a willow tree inspired the concept of a protected sanctuary for our meditation environment at Ventfort Hall. The willow tree and I grew up together, and when I discovered a secret room underneath the weeping branches, I quickly set up ‘house’ with my dolls, tea sets, books, and friends. I felt removed from the world while playing under the willow; hours of uninterrupted time for make believe felt magical and protected in the leafy surround.

If the nature of creativity is connected to play, as I believe, then why not employ this powerful connection of remembered wonder -- an intimate space provided by nature -- re-created with artful motifs custom printed on white linen? Our nurturing meditation room celebrates the feminine -- delighting all the senses.

http://gildedage.org/past-exhibits/berkshire-designer-showcase/