Bernhardt Relaunches Designer in Residence Program for April High Point Market

After an incredibly popular debut in 2019, Bernhardt is relaunching its Designer in Residence with inspirational interior design talent Summer Thornton as the April 2022 Designer in Residence. Known for her modern maximalist viewpoint, Thornton (summerthorntondesign.com) will take her turn interpreting the iconic company’s creative legacy, highlighting design excellence with an exclusive reinterpretation of Bernhardt’s gallery and select furnishings.

Debuting April 2-6, Bernhardt’s Designer in Residence will be celebrated in conjunction with the Hearst Design Collection (Elle Decor, House Beautiful, and Veranda). For this spring’s iteration, Veranda and its editor Steele Marcoux will be serving as the exclusive media partner.

“We were excited to see the response to our first Designer in Residence tribute to design,” says Alex Bernhardt Jr., President and CEO of Bernhardt. “Designer Nick Olsen set a high bar with his creative vision. After that amazing and inspiring celebration, we can’t wait to see what Summer Thornton creates for us this April. Our Designer in Residence series is truly honoring the art of creating stunning interiors, and we continue to be inspired here at Bernhardt by these talented interior designers.”

“The only guideline for Bernhardt’s Designer in Residence is that there are no guidelines. This is where imagination and creation are celebrated and revered.” says Gregory Heller, Vice President of Merchandising for Residential Casegoods. “Summer is known for her fearless use of color, pattern, and texture, as well as an ability to bring a fresh point of view to traditional design.”

Chicago-based Summer Thornton is a rising interior design star who has been included on such prestigious lists as the 1stdibs 50, Luxe Gold List, Traditional Home’s 10 New Trads, and Sotheby’s 20 Designers to Watch. With an irreverent spin on traditional design and her bold use of color, Summer has created stunning interiors nationwide and in Mexico, including dramatic beach homes in Naples, a Tuxedo Road estate in Atlanta, a Telluride ski lodge, and a plethora of projects in Chicago’s most exclusive buildings. Her work has been featured in Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, House Beautiful, The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Traditional Home, Modern Luxury Interiors, including several national cover stories.