Edith Wharton did not write here

Despite the fact that there was both a Den that belonged to Teddy (EW's husband) and a Library for Edith, the word at The Mount is that EW did not actually do her writing in the Library. (Our gal did most in her bed, papers flying!).

The Main Floor Gallery, which I profiled yesterday, leads directly into Teddy W's Den.


The Den, where Teddy kept his office, was designed by Ogden Codman, Jr., EW's co-writer on The Decoration of Houses. While the Den is not currently "decorated", it does boast some exquisite plasterwork and a gorgeous marble fireplace with mirror and classically inspired overmantle. The doors on either side lead out to the terrace on the side of the house. The room is so bright and lovely! The door hardware was imported from France. Le sigh... C'est si joli, non ??

A note from Pres. Teddy Roosevelt to EW:
This is one of two original paintings installed over the doors in the Den depicting a satyr. Unfortunately, my photograph came out way more yellow than the actual walls and painting. You can actually see this painting reflected in the mirror over the fireplace.

Edith Wharton's Library sits directly under her bedroom in the rear left corner of the house. She believed that the books in a library should be the primary focus and provide a decorative element and that the book cases should be recessed into the walls, not free standing. While she has been photographed at her writing table in the library, she was most likely to write in bed and use the library for study and entertaining close friends with readings. The most exciting part of this room is that her book collection was returned to The Mount in 2006. This was the one room that was roped off - no peeking through the books! When the house was decorated a few years ago, the library was done by Lady Henrietta Spencer-Churchill. The rendering in the Centennial Celebration program book shows a room with significantly more furniture, so it's clear that much as been removed. Some of the pieces here may be hold-overs, however, I'm not really sure.

EW at her desk. The paneled door over her left shoulder in the image below is likely the door to TW's Den. It has the same molding detail as the door in the image above.image of Edith Wharton, courtesy of EdithWharton.org

The Edith Wharton Organization, which manages The Mount, was facing foreclosure just a year ago. A bank restructuring and much needed donations has kept the doors open, but money is still needed to continue operations and much needed improvements. Please consider making a donation to this treasure of American Arts and Architecture.

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Edith Wharton: Entrance and Galleries

Continuing our tour of The Mount, Edith Wharton's home in the Berkshires in western Massachusetts, we are now stepping inside to the ground floor entrance hall and main stair. One might expect that this magnificent, classically inspired home would have a grand staircase. However, EW believed that the transition from outside to inside should be as smooth and easy as possible.

This is the forcourt space - a walled outdoor space that feels indoors when one passes through the main gate.
In through the front door...

And into the grotto-like Entrance Hall with stylized plaster work that emulated mossy walls and dripping water. The terracotta tile floor brings a definative Italianate feel to this space. The arched ceiling is simple and elegant, as is the softly glowing color palette.
Straight in front of the door is a statue of Pan by the sculptor Frederick MacMonnies. This bronze sits on the original fountain in the Entrance Hall. There's an excellent article here on this sculpture and other works at The Mount.

Through the double French doors to the right is the main staircase of the home.

The lantern lighting continues the outdoor feel...The Main Staircase begins quite simply and becomes more elegant as one ascends. During the restoration and decorating of some of the public spaces, designer Libby Cameron was selected to do the Main Staircase. Note that the ground floor landing and first level of the stair is relatively simple, with horizontal panels painted a sunny yellow. However, the sassy leopard print carpeting on the stair hints at the extravagance to come!


We are now on the Main Floor Staircase landing and you will see that the wall moldings, the lighting and other details are now significantly more formal. Here is a view through the arched door that separates the working areas of the Main Floor (Butler's Pantry, service stair case that is adjacent to the Main Stair, etc.) You can see through the Main Stair landing into the formal Main Gallery.And the glorious main Gallery, designed recently by Geoffrey Bradfield. Also based on Gallery spaces EW had seen in Italy, this is a space that allows access to all the main rooms on the Main Floor as well as provides excellent cross ventilation from front to rear of the house.

The terrazo and marble floor were polished to a high shine. The room straight ahead was Teddy Wharton's Den and beyond that is the terrace on the side of the house.

How glorious is this light fixture?A genteel place to rest.
And an image of the Gallery from EW's day. Continuing in the Italian style, EW used this space as a display for her art and objets collected from her world travels. Note the crystal chandelier. This view is looking back towards the Main Staircase.

Click here to view all my Edith Wharton posts. And coming up - the individual rooms with the drawing room decorated by Charlotte Moss and Dining Room decorated by Bunny Williams! To die!

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The Skirted Roundtable - Interview with Susan Serra, CKD

Joni and I interviewed Susan Serra, Certified Kitchen Designer, over at The Skirted Roundtable today. Susan is a fellow blogger and a very talented kitchen designer. We chatted about trends, materials and appliances and blogging. So pop on over and enjoy! Megan was on vacation - we missed you Megan!

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The Mount: The House that Edith built

Edith Wharton built her home in the Berkshires in western Massachusetts in 1902 when she was 40 years old, five years after she had written the seminal design book The Decoration of Houses with architect Ogden Codman, Jr. This was the first text book I read when I attended design school and it's a great book to re-read on occasion. The design of the house was based on the precepts she and Codman set forth in their book - those of a return to classical architectural virtues of harmony, proportion and symmetry. While Mrs. Wharton did consult with architects and landscape designers, she was the guiding force behind every detail of the house. In photographs, the mansion looks quite large, but in person, it has a very human scale. It was a time when many wealthy New Yorkers were building their summer "cottages" in Newport, RI - such as The Breakers and The Elms. Houses built on a grand scale - mini Versailles and American-ized European castles. The Mount was built for real living.

Originally set on 125 acres (now down to 49.5 acres), the house is set down a long winding lane. One first comes on the Georgian inspired stables, which is a beautiful building in and of itself.

The driveway winds through a naturalistic setting of lawn and wooded areas. The house eventually comes into view, snuggled comfortably into it's woodsy setting.

While most photos we see are of the garden side of the house, this view is, in fact, the front of the house. Mrs. Wharton believed that a house should naturally progress from outside to inside, drawing the visitor in slowly. (image courtesy of EdithWharton.org)

The front of the house is surrounded by a white washed stone walled courtyard into which a car or carriage would deliver guests. The service areas to the right side of the house are obscured by the high stone walls.

Two statues face each other across the courtyard.
The simple double front door - very reminiscent of many European townhouse entries. A little step up and you're in! (I do hope they do something about the bare lightbulb soon!).
Henry James (in backseat) joins Edith and Teddy Wharton and their chauffeur for a motoring tour through the Berkshires, Oct. 1904. (image courtesy of EdithWharton.org)

A quick walk around to the left side of the house reveals a lovely wrap around veranda. The classical form of the balustrade encases a gorgeous herringbone brick patio that is currently the side of the cafe. A lovely place to dine!
Can you just imagine Edith Wharton and her friend Henry James sitting out here, overlooking the Berkshire Mountains and enjoying their refreshments? The series of French doors open up to the library, living room and dining room (in that order across the back of the house).


Here is the center portion of the rear of the house with a great view of the stunning cupola. Mrs. Wharton's bedroom was on the second floor, in this right hand corner. While she often put out that she wrote at a desk, she in fact did most of her writing in her bedroom, in the mornings, in bed. As she finished a page, she'd toss it to the floor. If she were around today, I'm convinced she be a blogger, laptop at the ready!

Don't you just love the steps built into the lawn leading down from the veranda?


A view of the left side of the rear of the house. The building is built on a hill that runs up to the right, so the left side is perched on a stone foundation - which houses the lower kitchens, skullery and currently, the book store. A view from the left side lawn.
Edith Wharton sold the house in 1911, having lived there for less than ten years.

Stay tuned for my posts on the interiors to come!

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