Robert Hartwell
Judge, “That Thrifting Show”
Broadway actor Robert Hartwell renovated and redesigned his 200-year-old plantation-style home in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. As a result, joy and personal expression come through in every room of the house. Going beyond adding character to a home, the whole house feels like a reflection of its owner and his identity. As the first Black proprietor of a home that was built when slavery was still legal in the United States, Hartwell was determined to “drench it in color so that Black joy was central to the experience.” Thus, colorful room ideas were central to the vision. He wanted to honor the shapes that would have been present in 1820, but also turn it on its head by choosing fabrics that felt sumptuous and patterns you wouldn’t typically pair. Pushing the boundary of pattern play with fabrics that feel sumptuous, joy is central to Hartwell’s design aesthetic.