About the Mad Batter & Carroll Villa Hotel
Built in 1882 as a seaside escape for families, the Carroll Villa was built in the Italian villa or American bracketed villa style. The Carroll Villa was on the cover of the Cape May handbook as an architectural example of this style which presents an imposing, sweeping porch, tall front windows, a symmetrical facade, and often a cupola, as does the Carroll Villa.
The history of the Carroll Villa shows that about a decade later, a second section was added to the main building. These new rooms were very small, leading one to the conclusion that they were built as servant quarters for the families occupying the main building. As was true of the seaside villas of the Victorian era, the rooms of the Carroll Villa were spare and austere. When bathrooms were added, they were "down the hall," two to a floor. There was a common parlor for socializing and a large dining room for meals.
When the present owners, the Kulkowitz family, purchased the Carroll Villa in 1978, there were 31 rooms and 8 bathrooms. Each room had an odd combination of a beautiful antique dresser and a rather worn out iron bedstead. Rooms were painted in dark colors. There were many connecting doors between the rooms. It was obvious that a restoration project had to begin. As became true with all restoration projects in Cape May, that of the Carroll Villa came to reflect the personalities and histories of the members of the Kulkowitz family.
Our Interior Designer, Emily Buehrle
Interior designer Emily Buehrle is a 2005 graduate of the Moore College of Art and Design with a bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Interior Design. Emily has a natural ability to transform any space using her fine-art skills. Having worked in many areas, from building and construction to high-end decorating, she is well-versed in all areas of the design industry. She resides in Doylestown, PA.
EKB Design
Contact Emily at em-kate@hotmail.com
The Mad Batter Bar & Restaurant
At the Philadelphia Home Show, Emily met Carroll Villa owners Mark and Pam Kulkowitz, who invited Emily to Cape May to work on the Mad Batter's new bar and restaurant. Paying close attention to detail, Emily designed a modern bar unique to the Mad Batter that still represents the feel the restaurant has had since its beginning. Incorporating "green" materials was integral to the design. A one-of-a-kind tile mosaic provides the backdrop for the new bar featuring Ice Stone, a recycled glass and concrete countertop. Overhead is American Clay, a natural earth surface finish with no VOCs.
Guest Rooms
Emily has provided clean, modern designs for several of our guest rooms as well.
Step inside the Mad Batter
Virtual Tours
Get a realistic feel of the Mad Batter's three dining spaces with these 360-degree tours.
- Our skylit dining room & bar
- Outdoor dining on our sun-drenched porch
- Host weddings & parties in our garden terrace
Video Clips
Restaurant Passion TV - The Mad Batter
Mark and Pam takes you on a tour of the Mad Batter, its three dining spaces,
special events, menu selections, and the Carroll Villa Hotel.