Turning a Forgotten 1880s Office into a Luxe Tasting Lounge
When Mark Carter sets out to create something, he doesn’t cut corners.
Known for his award-winning small-batch whiskeys and deep dedication to design and restoration, Carter brought both together in his latest project: the Old Carter Whiskey Lounge in Louisville, Kentucky. Once an abandoned upper floor of a historic whiskey office, the space is now a members-only tasting room and social club—complete with vaulted ceilings, curated spirits, and a rich, immersive atmosphere that feels straight out of the 1880s.
“I wanted it to feel like a historic hotel lobby—dark wood, decorative ceilings, heavy trim . . . that sense of presence,” Carter says.
At the heart of the design? Handcrafted tin ceilings from American Tin Ceilings, chosen not just for their beauty, but for the sense of time and place it brings to the experience.
Reviving a Forgotten Whiskey Landmark
The building had sat untouched since the 1960s. But for Carter, the potential was immediate.
“This space had a story. It used to house the D.W. Dant whiskey company,” he explains. “We kept the fireplaces, exposed brick, even the archways. You don’t build character like that anymore—you preserve it.”
Carter, who designed the space himself, wanted it to feel both intimate and grand. Drawing inspiration from 1880s hotel lobbies and landmarks like the Carson Mansion in California, he envisioned vaulted ceilings, warm lighting, and architectural detail that would echo the opulence of the Gilded Age.
Tin Ceilings as the Defining Element
To complete the ceiling, Carter chose Pattern #29 in Artisan Gold with a Brushed Bronze finish, installed using the traditional nail-up method with C2 crown molding in the same color.
“I’m kind of in love with that pattern,” he says. “It looks like it’s from that era. People walk in and ask if we restored it—it’s all new, but that’s the power of the right materials.”
He didn’t consider drop-in tiles, noting, “Nail-up is the original application. It’s what belongs here.”
With its intricate texture and metallic warmth, the tin ceiling became a visual and atmospheric anchor—pulling the entire design together and reinforcing the club’s exclusive, timeless feel.
“Tin is more than just decorative. It sets the tone—people look up and they’re like, ‘Whoa, what is that?’”
A Club That Tells a Story
The lounge and club aren’t just about sipping whiskey—they’re about building a community around the brand.
For $100 a month, over 300 members (with a 400-person waitlist) gain access to private tastings, a rotating library of rare Old Carter bottles, and a wall of personalized lockers designed to display prized spirits.
“This lounge isn’t about volume—it’s about memory. A good pour, a good room, and people who care about both.”
Every visit includes a guided tasting, led by Carter or his team, weaving in stories from the brand’s journey, which started in California and has since earned a cult following in Kentucky.
Where History Meets Hospitality
The Old Carter Lounge isn’t a recreation—it’s a reawakening.
From custom windows modeled after 19th-century façades to the gilded ceiling that steals the show, every detail was designed to feel authentic, not themed. It’s a space where the line between past and present blurs—where materials like tin bring not just texture, but truth.
“The tin ceiling is so authentic—people think it’s original. That’s when you know it works.”
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