From Industrial Echo to Intimate Lounge: How Gammacoustic Balanced Sound and Style at New Riff
Project: New Riff Distilling
Designer: Luminaut
Location: Belleuve, KY
Market: Hospitality
Products: Gammacoustic 49
End Use: Windows
Photography: Ryan Kurtz
The Space
The client, New Riff, sought to transform its existing third-floor event space into a destination bar where guests would want to linger after bourbon tastings and tours. The redesigned space reimagines the distillery experience through a more relaxed, hospitality-driven lens—balancing warmth, comfort, and contemporary design within the building’s existing industrial shell. Anchored by a large communal oak table, the space was designed to feel equally welcoming for casual gatherings or elevated evening experiences.
Design Objective
A central goal of the project was to reinterpret New Riff’s brand ethos—“A New Riff on an Old Tradition”—through materiality and atmosphere. Rather than replicating a traditional bourbon aesthetic, the design team introduced familiar distillery materials like copper and oak in unexpected ways, including a dramatic copper ceiling and a white-to-black oak gradient surrounding the bar. At the same time, the abundance of glazing and industrial architecture required thoughtful solutions to soften the environment, improve acoustics, and create a more intimate guest experience.
“The client also wanted the space to feel comfortable and approachable—equally suited for someone in flip flops and shorts or a cocktail dress. Gammacoustic became a key element in helping us strike that balance. It addressed acoustic needs while also elevating the design.” - Amanda Searfoss, Senior Design Manager, Luminaut
Design Solution
As the trailblazer in acoustic textile innovation, Carnegie's long time partner Creation Baumann was the first to master what was once thought impossible: weaving a lightweight, translucent sheer that delivers significant sound absorbency. Used here as a sculptural feature wall, Gammacoustic softens the acoustics within the highly glazed environment while visually reinforcing the project’s warm copper palette. Its translucent quality filters natural light during the day and takes on a rich, luminous glow in the evening—enhancing the sensory experience and helping create what the design team described as an “approachable luxe” environment.