aspire design and home proudly presents The Art of the Home, a transformational designer showhouse set within a breathtaking 13,000-square-foot estate in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. This curated exhibition of world-class design, architecture, and fine art will run from September 19 through October 19, with an Opening Night Event to benefit the Tunnel to Towers Foundation on September 17.
Each Tuesday and Thursday, we’re spotlighting a different designer whose creative vision is shaping this bold, curated home. From behind-the-scenes peeks to personal stories, you’ll get an inside look at the minds reimagining what a home can be. This week, we catch up with Seth van den Bergh.
Seth van den Bergh is the founder of The Drawing Room ATL, a design firm known for its bold, minimalist approach and deeply personal interiors. Originally from Wasilla, Alaska, Seth’s design journey began at Marymount University in Virginia and continued at the American University of Dubai as a Clinton Scholar, where he developed a passion for architecture and experiential design. With a focus on creating tension between clean architectural lines and furnishings that tell a story, Seth’s work balances drama and simplicity. After years of working in other firms, he launched The Drawing Room to bring his vision for theatrical and original spaces to life.
The Drawing Room will transform this dining room into a site of connection, where design, identity and conversation all have a seat at the table.
Tell us about your concept for The Art of the Home Upper Saddle River Designer Showhouse — what inspired your approach to the room?
Seth van den Bergh: We began by considering the role a dining room serves in a house — a place for people to come together. This prompted our design to evolve into a celebration of community, in all senses of the word.
What mood or feeling are you hoping to evoke with this space?
SvdB: We’re hoping that the space feels uplifting and warm while still retaining a pensive and reflective quality. We’re looking for a blend of comfort and curiosity.
What’s the story behind your design? Is there a narrative or theme guiding your decisions?
SvdB: We mentioned focusing on the idea of bringing people together. More specifically, we wanted to use the space to celebrate LGBTQ+ voices and invite those that may not have personal ties to the queer community to join in the gathering.
A curated collection of queer literature and artwork fills the room with stories of joy, resistance and identity — sparking conversation well beyond the table.
What can you share about your palette, textures, or material choices? Are there any unexpected combinations we can look forward to?
SvdB: The design utilizes lots of layering of distinct elements. You’ll see combinations of sateens, chromes, glass — overall creating a reflective, saturated, textural feel. One combination we’re excited about is the juxtaposition of the floating chromed inflatable chairs by HeFlies with a more traditional pair of host chairs clad in rich horsehair fabric.
How would you describe your room in three words?
SvdB: New, now, novel.
Designed by The Drawing Room, the Henning table is a functional, sculptural expression of light, love and luminous resilience.
Are you collaborating with any artists, fabricators, or makers on this space?
SvdB: We collaborated with North Carolina-based artist duo Dougall Paulson to create the custom woven metal artwork displayed on the primary wall. Additionally, we worked with a glass fabricator local to us in Atlanta to produce the Henning dining table, made of dichroic glass, which has a prismatic effect.
What role does storytelling play in your design process, and how is that showing up in this room?
SvdB: Storytelling is an important component in all our designs. In this space, the artwork by queer artists and curated collection of literature are the primary storytellers. However, the web of finishes, colors and forms tells a story of complexity and nuance: true beauty is achieved through multiplicity.
While The Art of the Home is still in progress, take a look at a past project by The Drawing Room here.
How do you think visitors will interact with or experience your room once it’s complete?
SvdB: We hope visitors will explore our room with curiosity. They may peruse the collection of books displayed in the cabinet, take a seat on an inflatable chair, or click through the slides in our custom viewfinders. Above all, this room, like all we design, is intended to be experiential.
More on Seth | Drawing from his global experience in cities like DC, Miami, and Dubai, Seth leads The Drawing Room ATL with a distinctly multicultural perspective. His team includes designer Natalie Rivers, an Auburn graduate whose work blends artistry and intention, and Melody Montgomery, who oversees project management while offering nuanced artistic insight informed by her background in political science and the Atlanta arts scene. Together, they shape interiors that embrace contrast, craftsmanship and emotion — spaces that balance restraint with richness, precision with personality.
Purchase tickets to tour The Art of the Home here.
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