Winterthur Museum and Country Estate
Winterthur Museum and Country Estate in Delaware's Brandywine Valley is a truly inspirational place to visit. The Museum features 85,000 examples of American Decorative Art and the gardens are exquisite to behold.
Formerly the childhood home of Henry Francis du Pont, the 175 room house is located in a 1,000 acre preserve of meadows and woodlands. Sixty acres around the home are landscaped to showcase the beauty of the seasons as they pass. Du Pont's fascination with horticulture led him to design the many gardens around plants and flowers which bloom in profusion at different times of the year.
The following images are from our August visit to Winterthur and feature some of the elements of the decor and garden design which I find to be particularly memorable and inspirational. More detailed and historic information about Winterthur can be found at the Winturthur website (http://www.winterthur.org/) Enjoy the tour!
Formerly the childhood home of Henry Francis du Pont, the 175 room house is located in a 1,000 acre preserve of meadows and woodlands. Sixty acres around the home are landscaped to showcase the beauty of the seasons as they pass. Du Pont's fascination with horticulture led him to design the many gardens around plants and flowers which bloom in profusion at different times of the year.
The following images are from our August visit to Winterthur and feature some of the elements of the decor and garden design which I find to be particularly memorable and inspirational. More detailed and historic information about Winterthur can be found at the Winturthur website (http://www.winterthur.org/) Enjoy the tour!
Approaching Winterthur
The Chinese Parlor
Notice the 18th century wallpaper imported from China.
Detail of The Chinese Parlor wallpaper design.
The Marlboro Room
This was the room used for afternoon tea and family gatherings.
The du Pont Dining Room
Henry Francis du Pont had a large collection of different table settings and was very particular about coordinating them with fresh floral centerpieces. He was know to record the table setting, choice of floral centerpiece and what was served whenever he had guests. What a great idea!
Montmorenci Staircase
This oval spiraling staircase was acquired from a plantation home in North Carolina named Montmorenci. The graceful lines have a refined elegance.
Garden Path
The Reflecting Pool
Originally this was used as a swimming pool but it has since been converted to a decorative pool.
Speakers
These beautiful wrought iron designs were used to cover stereo speakers in the pool area. Every detail made decorative!
Garden Sculpture
Sculptural embellishments abound at Winterthur, particularly near the reflecting pool.
The Garden Gate
Decorative gate leading from the reflecting pool toward the house
The Enchanted Woods
While touring the extensive gardens, we came upon the children's garden called The Enchanted Woods. It had this adorable little stone house for children to enjoy...
The End
Note: Information presented in this post was acquired through the Museum and Garden Tour, Winterthur website and the Guide to Winterthur Museum and Country Estate.