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.

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.

Belcourt Castle, Newport RI

Belcourt Castle from Bellevue Ave.

From 1891-1894, Oliver Hazard Perry Belmont hired Richard Morris Hunt to design a Newport castle for his horses and himself.

close up of exterior

This house may be stylistically the most schizophrenic in design that I have seen.  The exterior resembles a French chateau.  Walk inside the entrance archway into the courtyard, and one finds oneself surrounded by half timbering that reminds me of an English Tudor style, but I have been reminded that half timbering is seen in Norman style architecture too.  All I can say is that the juxtaposition of the two styles so close together is jarring.

entrance archway from courtyard

About the stables….. I have heard the following about this house: “It is a palatial stable with an incidental apartment attached.”  In addition to the stable wing, the whole first floor of the house (the incidental apartment was on the 2nd floor) was also stable space, open to the outside until Alva Vanderbilt Belmont moved in in 1896.  Alva enclosed the first floor and turned it into an Italian Renaissance styled hall and banished the horses to the stable wing.

Stable wing inside courtyard

Belcourt is privately owned and open for tours sporadically.  I hear that it is up for sale and I hope a suitable buyer can be found for it.  It is in need of restoration and it’s history and architecture are worthy of saving.

Click here to see more of my photos of Belcourt Castle.

Ochre Court, Salve Regina University, Newport RI

Ochre Court, Street Facade

Ogden Goelet, a New York real estate developer, hired Richard Morris Hunt to design Ochre Court between 1888-1892.

Ochre Court, Ocean Facade

Inspired by the French chateau of the Loire Valley, it was the first of Hunt’s summer cottages to seek French inspiration.

Main entry under stairs, Ocean vista visible

Many of the interiors retain their gilded age characteristics.

Main hall, 2nd and 3rd floors

Main Hall (viewed from 2nd floor)

Stained glass window on 2nd floor stair landing

Ochre Court Dining Room

Ochre Court Ballroom

Ochre Court Salon – detail of wood work

Administration building from street

Today it serves as the administration building of Salve Regina University.

Click here to see more of my photos from Ochre Court.

The Elms, Newport RI

I visited this house on December 11, 2011.

Rear Facade

Built between 1898 – 1901 by Philadelphia architect Horace Trumbauer for the Berwind family.  The house was modeled after the mid-18th century French chateau d’Asnieres (c.1750) outside Paris.

Statue at Roof Corner

Facade over front door

Statue flanking front door

This arbor, hiding the servant’s entrance to the house is most beautiful in the spring and summer.

Arbor over servant’s entrance

The Classical Revival style gardens on the grounds were developed between 1907 and 1914 and comprise almost 14 acres. I don’t know who the landscape architect was.

Garden Pavilion

The Sunken Garden

Garden Statue

The Stables

Stable Roofline

For more photos, visit my Elms Flickr site.

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

Oheka Castle, Cold Spring Harbor NY

Oheka Castle is the second largest private residence built in America.  It was designed by the architects Delano & Aldrich between 1914 -1919 for finacier Otto H. Kahn.  The castle is currently a hotel and catering venue.  I believe I got “Castle Fever” while I was there – I was enthralled by the architecture and the landscape.  I took many photos of the Castle and its interior spaces.  Here is a sample:

Oheka Side view

National Register Plaque

Courtyard view

Terrace Room View

Loggia

Because I took so many photos, I recommend viewing them on my Flickr site.

Coindre Hall, Huntington NY

Coindre Hall

Coindre Hall is a Medieval French Chateau style mansion that was built between 1906-1911 for George McKesson Brown. Mr. Brown lost his fortune and this mansion in the stock market crash of 1929. Subsequently, it became a school run by the Brothers of the Sacred Heart (1939-1971) and was briefly known as the Eagle Hill School in the 1970′s. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a Suffolk County Park.

Detail - Front Roof line

Detail - Front Tower

Looking up one of the Front Towers

Porte Cochere

Back Lawn - Looking towards Huntington Harbor

Back View - Coindre Hall

Detail - Rear View Roof Line

Copper Beech Tree

For more photos, you can visit my Flickr site.

Chelsea, East Norwich NY

On October 8, 2007 I visited this estate.  It was hosting a Designer Show House.  It is part of the Muttontown Preserve of the Nassau County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Museums.  The house itself is an interesting blend of French and Chinese styles.  It was built in 1924 by the firm of Delano & Aldrich for Mr & Mrs Benjamin Moore.

Chelsea - Front Entrance

Chelsea - Courtyard view

A Wing Of Chelsea

Notice the moat in the above picture.  It is lined with cobble stones taken from the streets of NYC’s Chelsea section – which is how the mansion got its name.  It is said that the Moore children regularly played in the moats.

Chelsea Moat

In the foreground of the above picture you can just make out the cobblestones.

Center Court Patio

The patio, shown above, is also said to be lined with stones taken from the streets of NYC’s Chelsea section.  Apparently the Moores’ first home was located in Chelsea.

Moat and Garden Gate

The circular garden gate is asian in style.  The service wing of the house is on the other side of it.

Service Wing

Garden Gate

The above photo is taken looking through the garden gate towards the court yard and moat.

Serpentine Garden Wall next to pond

Another architectural gem in the garden is this serpentine wall.

Abandoned Garden Fountain

There are some over grown formal gardens.  While exploring them I literally stumbled into this large abandoned fountain.  It must have been something special when it was functioning.

Fountain Detail

The fountain was lined every few feet with these carvings.

Driveway to stables / garage

It had been several years since my last visit.  I forgot how long the entrance driveway was.  This is just a small part of it.

Nemours Mansion – Wilmington, Delaware

On September 16, 2008 I visited this beautiful estate, that once belonged to Alfred I. DuPont.

Nemours Mansion

Formal Gardens

Maze Garden

Box Turtle Pond

Box Turtle Fountain