During a recent visit to Wilmington, Delaware, I had the opportunity to visit Nemours Estate, the 77-room home and formal French gardens of industrialist Alfred I. Dupont (1864-1935) and his family. It wasn't an experience I'll soon forget.
Tag: beaux arts
The Jefferson Hotel, Where Gators Once Roamed
The Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, Virginia opened in 1895. It has been renovated several times since, and it's decorated in a luxurious, eclectic style.
A Review of the Morgan Library & Museum
My experience at the Morgan Library & Museum, a New York City museum of rare books and manuscripts, works on paper, and other small treasures.
The Breakers (My Newport Adventures)
The Breakers is the crown jewel of Newport, and it's totally crazy to experience. Cornelius Vanderbilt II, who owned the house with his wife Alice, clearly saw himself as a grand Renaissance prince. The Breakers was designed to look like an Italian Renaissance palace by Richard Morris Hunt and completed in 1895.
Rosecliff (My Newport Adventures)
Of all the mansions I saw in Newport, Rosecliff was my favorite. It was owned by Hermann and Tessie Oelrichs and designed by Stanford White, completed in 1902. Tessie Oelrichs liked to host parties, and Rosecliff was definitely designed to be her perfect venue. She hosted her first of many, highly-theatrical galas before Rosecliff had even been fully completed.
Marble House (My Newport Adventures)
The Marble House (completed in 1892) was designed by Alva Vanderbilt, who was then the wife of William K. Vanderbilt. The house was designed by Richard Morris Hunt with decoration by Jules Allard and Sons. The Marble House is definitely over the top, yet it feels strangely accessible because none of the rooms are particularly large. Despite the gilt, brocade, and ornamentation, its scale gives a human feeling
The Elms (My Newport Adventures)
The Elms was the first mansion I saw on my first day in Newport, and it was the perfect way to start my trip. The home was built in 1901 for Edward and Herminie Berwind, who made their fortune in the coal industry. It was later occupied by Edward's sister Julia. The house was designed by Horace Trumbauer of Philadelphia and decorated by Jules Allard and Sons of Paris.
Gargoyle of the Day: Biltmore Estate, North Carolina
Gargoyles on private homes are uncommon. Gargoyles on private homes in the United States are like unicorns - rare, exciting, and magical (metaphorically, of course). These gargoyles are part of the gorgeous Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, constructed in the late nineteenth century. According to several sources, the Biltmore's gargoyles are non-functioning - and… Continue reading Gargoyle of the Day: Biltmore Estate, North Carolina
Where in the world is this place? Not where you might think.
The house pictured above might look like an English manor house or a French chateau, but it is actually a country estate near where I live in the United States. I went to visit this turn-of-the-century Beaux Arts mansion one day this past week. The home is now privately-owned and no longer decorated according to… Continue reading Where in the world is this place? Not where you might think.