Chase Wills - Bernhardt Textiles

Chase Wills

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Born in Lexington, Kentucky, Chase Wills spent his early childhood watching his father and uncle remodel classic sports cars. Later as an adolescent he helped his father build contemporary pieces for their family home. It was in these formative years that his appreciation of form and the passion for furniture were explored and developed.

After enrolling in the College of Architecture at the University of Nebraska and subsequent service as a combat medic in the U.S. Army, Wills entered the hospitality industry as a sommelier with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. Wills enrolled in Art Center College of Design after his passion for environmental and spatial design was reignited following a visit to the design gallery with his brother, a student within the transportation design department. Now as a graduate of Art Center, Wills uses his years of hospitality experience in designing restaurant and lounge concepts that are as functional and enjoyable for staff as they are for guests.

Focusing on products for the hospitality and leisure industry, Wills’ hand-carved cocktail table Luscious earned him the second place award in a design competition sponsored by Motor City Casino in Detroit. Recent projects include a high-rise lounge concept for Motor City Casino and an aroma-based exploration/exhibition space for Riedel, makers of world-class crystal stemware. Currently, Wills is working on an urban playscape concept for a pocket-park in East Hollywood, a rooftop lounge concept for a luxury hotel, and a line of casegoods constructed using waste-reducing digital manufacturing processes.