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.

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.

 

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 Breakers, Newport RI

I visited this Richard Morris Hunt masterpiece on December 11, 2011.

Approaching the Front Entrance

The first time I visited this house I was a child.  I remember then I was impressed with its enormity.  This was the third time in my life that I visited this house and its enormity has stayed with me.  It is monumental testament to Beaux Arts design.

Western Facade in profile

Entrance Gate During Daylight

On this visit I found myself focused on the elaborate decorative details that Hunt placed everywhere.  I think it is these details that make this house so special.

Detail – Over front entrance

Statue in Entrance Portico

Urn near Entrance

I love the texture of this urn.

Ocean View from Terrace

Western Facade at Sunset

I was quickly running out of sunlight……

Garden Urns at Twilight

Garden Fountain at Twilight

Entrance Gate at Dusk

For more photos visit my Breakers Flickr Site.

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