The Vanderbilt Family gained dominance from the Gilded Age that passed down to the philanthropist William Douglas Sloane and Emily Vanderbilt. They built the Elm Court Estate in 1886 and is now on the market priced at $12.5 million.
The massive estate was designed by Frederick Law Olmstead. The Elm Court Estate is measured at 55,000 square feet and has a total of 106 rooms with 13 bedrooms newly renovated. The house boasts of intricately carved plaster ceiling in the dining room, herringbone-wood floors, multiple preserved fireplaces, a large mahogany butler’s pantry, grand-scale entertaining, and a new chef’s-island kitchen. The 89-acre property also has a butler’s house, gardener’s cottage, multiple long greenhouses, a caretaker’s house, carriage house, stable, and two barns.
The Vanderbilt Family Estate in Berkshires is listed by Timothy Lovett of Berkshire Property Agents in Great Barrington, Massachusetts.
This is a farther view of the main house featuring the spacious lawn of grass lined with tall trees that bring color to the house exteriors. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
This is a closer look at the back of the main house showcasing the terracotta toned roofs, beige exterior walls and the multiple windows. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
This is a closer look at the details of the vintage fountain in the front yard of the house across from the entry of the house. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
This is the covered entry of the house with a wide space enough for a large crowd. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
This is a closer look at the main door of the house flanked by windows that has frames of dark wood to match the door. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
Upon entry of the house, you are welcomed by this foyer that has a large beige fireplace on one side across from the large wooden table in the middle of the area rug. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
This is another look at the foyer featuring the large wooden table in the middle of the patterned beige area rug topped with a coffered gray and beige ceiling. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
This is a look at the spacious and bright living room with a large patterned carpet to match the beige walls and ceiling adorned by the molding and natural lighting. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
This is a closer look at the large fireplace at the far wall of the large living room with beige walls and elegant moldings. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
This is the library that has a large fireplace on one side of the built-in bookshelves on the gray-toned walls that match the patterned carpeting. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
This is the spacious dining room with a tall beige ceiling filled with details over a spacious herringbone hardwood flooring. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
This is a closer look at the dining room fireplace with an elegant design to its mantle flanked with two large windows of the same tone as the mantelpiece. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
The kitchen has a large kitchen island in the middle with a dark wooden countertop. this is then topped with multiple pendant lights hanging from the bright ceiling. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
This is a close look at the kitchen and its bright cabinetry that blends well with the walls contrasted by the countertops. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
This end of the kitchen has an informal dining area in the middle and dark wooden cabinetry along the walls to contrast the backsplash. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
This is the large pantry that is connected to the kitchen. It also has multiple bright cabinetry to contrast the hardwood flooring. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
This hallway has a hardwood flooring to match the dark wainscoting of the beige walls. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
This is a look at the landing of the house with a carpeted staircase to contrast the white wooden railings and bannisters. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
This is a close look at one of the bedrooms that has a corner with fireplace and a daybed for relaxing by the windows. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
One of the many bathrooms has a consistent beige tone to its walls and ceilings as well as the housing for the bathtub beside the toilet. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
This is a closer look at one of the preserved fireplaces of the house that has a white tone to its mantle to blend with the surrounding paneled wall. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
This is the balcony of the main house overlooking the swimming pool that can be seen in the distance. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
This is a view of the large swimming of the estate adorned with tall stone pillars and tall stone walls for a Mediterranean aesthetic. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
This is the Butler’s cottage with two levels, and multiple windows surrounded by large lawns of grass. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
This is a look at the other buildings of the property with large structures and multiple levels that stand out against the surrounding landscaping. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
This is a close look at one of the buildings within the property with a terracotta tone to its exterior walls. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
This is an aerial view of the massive main house of the property. You can also see here the large round driveway in front of the house. Image courtesy of Toptenrealestatedeals.com.
One of America’s most historic homes: a Vanderbilt-family home that played a key role in the creation of the League of Nations is so large that it spans two towns, is the largest American Shingle-Style home in the country, and landscaping designed by Frederick Law Olmstead is now for sale for $12.5 million.
Built in the Berkshires by philanthropist William Douglas Sloane and Emily Vanderbilt, granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt, Elm Court Estate was designed in 1886 by the architectural firm Peabody & Stearns with the grounds done by Frederick Law Olmstead – well known for his work on New York’s Central Park.
A less ornate style than the Vanderbilt family’s more-famous Biltmore House in North Carolina, the 89-acre Elm Court Estate spans both Stockbridge and Lenox, Massachusetts. Its shingle-style evolved from America’s New England architectural movement of the late 1800s modeled after Colonial American architecture. The home, which is registered as a National Historic Landmark, got its name from a large elm tree that stood at the entrance to the mansion, but later succumbed to disease. Constructed as a summer home for family and friends, Elm Court Estate was the meeting site for the Elm Court Talks in 1919 which led to the creation of the Treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations.
In the effort to keep up with the high costs of running the large property after the original owners passed, their children turned it into an inn in the late 1940s. During the 1950s, it hosted events, dinners and overnight guests. Elm Court Estate finally closed its doors and was boarded up until 1999 when descendants of Emily Vanderbilt began to renovate the estate.
At 55,000 square feet and 106 rooms, much of the renovation of the three-story home has been finished with the main living areas and 13 bedrooms completed. The original details such as the intricately-carved-plaster ceiling in the dining room, the herringbone-wood floors and the fireplaces have been preserved and a new chef’s-island kitchen installed.
There is a large mahogany butler’s pantry with a charming window seat and room for casual dining. All rooms are spacious enough for grand-scale entertaining. The grounds contain more buildings including the larger butler’s house, gardener’s cottage, multiple long greenhouses with one large enough to grow taller fruit trees. There is a caretaker’s house, carriage house and stable and two barns.
The Vanderbilt Berkshires Elm Court Estate is listed at $12.5 million by Timothy Lovett of Berkshire Property Agents in Great Barrington, Massachusetts.
PerfectHome
