by If one were to be asked to name cities in North Carolina best known for having longstanding ties to furniture, High Point and Hickory are sure to top the list.
But mention Kernersville, even to those of us in the furniture sector, and you are likely to be met with a host of confused faces.
To be fair, when citing Kernersville, I am referring to one house, aptly called Körner’s Folly.
Located in Kernersville, Körner’s Folly is a unique historic home that was built in 1880 by Jule Gilmer Körner, an advertising maven who initially made his fortune by spearheading the first national advertising campaigns by painting murals of Bull Durham Smoking tobacco bulls on buildings and barns across the American East Coast.
Körner’s first love was designing and building furniture and interior design and after cashing in on his success with the tobacco company, he turned his attention to designing and building what his neighbors referred to as a folly — a 6,000-square-foot, three-and-a-half-story eccentric brick dwelling with a shingled, cross-gable roof.
According to the knowledgeable staff that oversees the house, the home originally served as combination dwelling, showroom for Körner’s interior design business, stable and carriage house.
Aside from the incredibly unusual layout of the house, the 22-room interior features unusual architecture and many examples of Victorian furniture and interior decoration since Körner used the house to showcase his business.
The third floor of Körner’s Folly contains “Cupids Park,” which is said to be the oldest private theater in America. It was built by Jule and Polly Alice Körner as part of their “Juvenile Lyceum,” which was a philanthropic project providing local children with access to the arts.
Today, the theater is used by local theatrical groups and by the Körner’s Folly Foundation for a puppet show, which is performed several times a year for children and visiting school groups.
The house and the furniture, virtually all designed by Jule, feature a treasure trove of Victorian-styled furniture.
According to Suzanna Ritz Malliett, executive director of the Körner’s Folly Foundation, “Remarkably, about 90% of the furniture inside Körner’s Folly (with the exception of the Eastlake pieces in the Long Room and other pieces scattered about the house, such as the Chinese cabinet in the Reception Room) was designed by Jule Körner himself.”
Malliett went on to explain that “many pieces incorporated the same motifs and details (such as beading, Greek key/meanders, roping and classical columns) as can be found built into the home’s architecture.”
When asked about who actually produced the furniture in the house, Mallett said, “The pieces were constructed off-site by a fabricator, sent via railroad back to Kernersville and assembled inside the home, where they have remained for over 130 years. “
She added, “Though most frequently constructed of accessible and durable materials such as black walnut, oak and maple, Jule chose to stain many pieces to resemble premium materials such as rosewood, teak or ebony.”
Today, the 22-room mansion is a historic house museum that is owned and operated by the Körner’s Folly Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
Visitors can view original furnishings and artwork, 15 fireplaces, cast-plaster details, carved woodwork and elaborate hand-laid tiles. The house is open to the public for self-guided tours Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., with the last entry time at 3 p.m.
My recommendation is that if you are planning to come to High Point for market, carve out a few hours to see this remarkable house that is filled with remarkable furniture.
Trust me on this one … you will be glad you did!
Below are some photos taken of the original furnishings in the 22-room mansion.
