Tennessee’s New Blackberry Mountain Resort Mixes Art and Adventure

The bucolic Tennessee getaway houses a masterful collection of art curated by Nikki Brown

Rustic entrance with stone walls, glass doors, colorful abstract art, and a decorative light fixture.
The new Blackberry Mountain resort in Tennessee. Photo: Ingalls Photography

Cozy living room with a lit fireplace, two beige sofas, colorful cushions, and a vibrant painting above the mantel.
A seating area inside the resort’s Lodge building. Ingalls Photography

An escape to Blackberry Mountain, the new sister resort of the famed farm-to-table paragon Blackberry Farm, is more than just an adventure in outdoor living. Of course hiking, rock climbing, and mountain biking are all on the agenda, but so are classes in painting, basket making, and throwing pottery. Set on 5,200 acres of nature nestled in the Great Smoky Mountains, the resort is comprised of a series of cabins and cottages meant to evoke the feeling of a gracious Southern home brimming with rustic elegance.

To elevate the decor, the in-house design team tapped New York art adviser Nikki Brown to curate a top-notch collection that speaks to the property’s unique location. A native of Atlanta, Brown looked to artists from the South who are inspired by nature and scoured Instagram for emerging local talent. “I wanted to bring in artists you haven’t seen before and do commissions that feel extra special,” she says.

Stylish living room with large windows, wooden beams, leather chairs, patterned stools, and a cozy couch in natural light.
Living room space of the Hemlock Mountain Home at Blackberry Mountain. Ingalls Photography

Héctor Bitar used dried flowers found on the property to create a three-dimensional resin work, while New Orleanian Bradley Sabin installed one of his ceramic flower walls; a glasswork by local artist Richard Jolley is also featured. Paintings situated over the bedroom fireplace, rigged out with an ingenious pulley system, even serve a discreet purpose—covering the television, the buzzkill to any rural getaway. 

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Elegant wooden sideboard with decorative lamps and a vase of flowers, wall adorned with artistic black bird sculptures.
Detail of artist Bradley Sabin’s ceramic flower wall in the lobby at the Lodge of Blackberry Mountain. Ingalls Photography

Interior of one of the Watchman Cabins at Blackberry Mountain with floor-to-ceiling windows.
Interior of one of the Watchman Cabins at Blackberry Mountain with floor-to-ceiling windows. Ingalls Photography

Hotel lobby with a wooden reception desk, blue accent wall, modern lighting, and cozy seating area.
The reception area. Ingalls Photography

Elegant restaurant interior with wooden beams, plush seating, starburst chandeliers, and large windows offering scenic views.
The dining room at Blackberry Mountain. Ingalls Photography

A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2019 Fall issue in the section The Artful Life. Subscribe to the magazine.