Marble House, Newport RI

Front of Marble House

Marble House is a monumental homage to extravagance.  Built principally for Alva Vanderbilt by Richard Morris Hunt, it is based on the Petit Trianon at Versailles.

Under the main entrance

The entire house screams formality and classicism inside and outside.

Over one of the side windows

Inside the house boasts more than 500,000 cubic feet of marble.

The Ocean facing facade

 

The Tea House at Marble House

The tea house was added to the grounds by Alva in 1912.  It was designed by the firm of Hunt & Hunt.  (Richard Morris Hunt’s sons.) It was the site of several suffragist meetings after WWI.

Inside the Tea House

Today Marble House is one of the mansions operated by the Preservation Society of Newport County.

Click here to see more of my photos of Marble House.

Kingscote, Newport RI

Kingscote front

Kingscote was originally designed by Richard Upjohn for George Noble Jones in 1839 – 1841.

Side view of Kingscote

One of my favorite rooms in Kingscote is the dining room, which was expanded sometime in the 1870′s to 1880′s by the firm of McKim, Mead and White.  To quote their webpage: “The room combines Colonial American details with exotic ornament – reflecting the architects’ interest in combining eastern and western motifs. The innovative use of materials was also important, such as cork tiles as a covering for the wall frieze and ceiling, and an early installation of opalescent glass bricks by Louis Comfort Tiffany.”

Kingscote Dining Room

Today it is one of the mansions operated by the Preservation Society of Newport County.

Click here to see more of my photos of Kingscote.

Isaac Bell House / Edna Villa, Newport RI

Bellevue Ave facade of Isaac Bell House

Built in 1882-1883 by McKim, Mead and White for the Bell family.  The house was purchased in 1891 by the Vanderbilt family lawyer, Samuel Barger, who named the property Edna Villa.

Rear Facade of Isaac Bell House

I am especially fond of the lines of this house.  I also love the window in the corner of these 2 facades.  It creates a lovely window seat in the upstairs bedroom.

A View of the Entrance Facade (on Perry St.) and the Bellevue Ave.  Facade

Today it is one of the mansions operated by the Preservation Society of Newport County.

Stained Glass by the front door

Click here to see more of my photos of the Isaac Bell House.

Griswold House / Newport Art Museum, RI

Griswold House – Front

This house is Richard Morris Hunt’s first major commission in Newport.

Central Stairway

Hunt was hired in 1861 by the Griswold family to create this home, which was completed in 1863.

Dining Room

The woodwork inside the house is fantastic – just look at it here in the Dining Room and in the Parlor.

Parlor

Parlor Shutters

Today the house is part of the Newport Art Museum and they have been slowly restoring the property.

Click here to see more of my photos of Griswold House.

 

Green Animals / Brayton Estate, Newport RI

House at Green Animals

This estate was purchased in 1872 by Thomas E. Brayton for his family. The clapboard style house is pleasant, but the reason why people visit is the amazing topiary gardens.

House at green animals – side view

Since 1905 the estate has been known for its extensive gardens and topiary animals.

The gardens and topiary

Topiary Dinosaur

Today it is one of the mansions operated by the Preservation Society of Newport County.

Click here to see more of my photos of Green Animals.

 

 

 

Chepstow, Newport RI

Chepstow

Chepstow was designed by George Champlin Mason and built for the Schermerhorn’s in 1860-1861.  It is Italianate in style with a French roof.

Detail of porch

Today it is one of the mansions operated by the Preservation Society of Newport County.

Click here to see more of my photos of Chepstow.

Rosecliff, Newport RI

Rosecliff exterior – Bellevue Ave Side

Rosecliff was built by Tessie and Herman Oelrichs between 1899-1901.

Ocean Side of Rosecliff

They hired McKim, Mead and White to design their cottage on Bellevue Ave after the Grand Trianon in Versailles.

Facade detail

The most unusual feature of Rosecliff is its exterior surface.  Although it looks like marble, the house is faced in white glazed terracotta tile.

Rosecliff garden

The house gets its name from the beautiful rose bushes on the property.

Today it is one of the mansions operated by the Preservation Society of Newport County.

Click here to see more of my photos of Rosecliff.

Vernon Court, Newport RI

Vernon Court

Built in 1898 by Carrere and Hastings.  Its design is based on Chateau Haroue near Nancy, France.  Today it is home to the National Museum of American Illustration.

Another view of Vernon Court

Click here for more of my photos of Vernon Court.

Clouds Hill, Warwick RI

Clouds Hill

This museum is possibly the most unique of all the historic houses I have visited.  It was designed by William Walker & Sons circa the 1870′s and by some miracle, the house has remained in the same family ever since.  All the rooms have their original decorations and the museum is slowly, but surely, restoring them.  The result is a rich archive of Victoriana of all forms – textiles, wood carvings, porcelains, books and ephemera – basically anything you can think of – any many things you never thought of.  I highly recommend a visit – lovers of all things Victorian will not be disappointed.  See: http://www.cloudshill.org/

Click here to see my photos of Clouds Hill.

Newport Casino, Newport RI

Newport Casino from Bellevue Avenue

The casino was built between 1879 -1881 as a social center for Newport.  Back in the day entrance to the casino was gained both by membership and by purchase of a daily pass.

Casino and interior courtyard from promenade

The casino is actually a complex of buildings and open spaces.

Casino and promenade from Theatre

Today it is home to the National Tennis Hall of Fame, the National Tennis Club,

Theatre

a Stanford White designed auditorium used by Salve Regina University,

Court Tennis Court

and one of eight court tennis courts in the country.

Promenade Trellis

The exterior spaces (Originally for archery, croquet, and lawn tennis) are as lovely as the interior spaces.

Newport Casino

Click here to see more of my photos of Newport Casino.