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Elm Court's Library and Architectural Detailing

Bob Vila meets with Sonya and Bob Berle in the library of Elm Court to discuss the interior design and preservation of this magnificent example of turn-of-the-century design and opulence. Many of the home�s themes draw from other Vanderbilt residences. For example, the colors of the painted wood walls in the library are from a blue in an antique oriental rug. The rug originated in the parlor of the Vanderbilt mansion on New York City�s Fifth Avenue (which is now the Bergdorf Goodman department store). Part of the charm of Elm Court is in its rustic appeal, including the real Grizzly Bear rug in front of the fireplace and the terrific vista from the conservatory overlooking the lake called Stockbridge Bowl.
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Elm Court's Library and Architectural Detailing

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" When you've got here you had to sort of start start from scratch there's like all of the other interiors had been vandalized and -- completely and they actually how how how did you get to. Deciding you know color scheme for example you've got kind of like a gold ceiling and beautiful blue on all the paneling and how do you pick the color."

" Person thinks that won't run for the entire house actually you know we really like to I choose all of the colors and the textiles and furnishings from historical palettes. So that there accurate to the -- happen at the same time what has our own -- personal preference and it's so it's comfortable it's a home."

" And this woman whose tastes Sonya picked all the colors off of this rock which has been here. Four are actually not that long has this you know. Which was actually put into storage in the fifties. It's hard to keep these these the history of illustrated in this. Those in out in 57 most put into storage by my grandfather. In its monthly taken care of and it came back to the house. End when we rolled it out we realized it's about eight feet too long and so it didn't originally belong in this room whether it actually was out. But if it's folded over but it actually was in a house on Fifth Avenue that was in the family which is now Bergdorf Goodman's. But nonetheless we're happy to have -- here this is hard to keep track Wallis but the house that belonged to. Other ancestors of yours by the name and -- is now Bergdorf Goodman department store. That's correct on Fifth Avenue and this rug originally was in there yes what about something like the bear rug I mean who shot the bear. I wish in many ways it was like feasible when we would go out into the bush ourselves and take one out. We are too busy having children. Itself but all we actually got this one from Canada as Sonya always says you need to have a house in need out of their lifespan house like this isn't us -- Victorian is that a grizzly. It is just it is a grizzly bear wonderful no it is the kind of thing that you would expect to have in a grand library like this. Now what about the architectural detailing of the room because obviously was built as a library it's bookshelves on all three major walls four. Was this vandalized is it in pretty good condition what what gives. Much of the woodwork was in pretty good condition I think one of the things that was the most interesting Dawson. Is that all of this wags. In all of the intricate detail of the room was made out of wood there's no plaster in the room at all so even the cornice molding with the leaves carved into and stuff that's all carved wood."

" All they can't just leave them in the other rooms where we had more plaster we seem to sustained more vandalism and damage it was easier journey into the story now what do you suppose was the original finish on the wood would it have been natural wood. It was actually this house was always painted. Interestingly enough there -- a lot of different woods that are utilized throughout the house and done that went in and out of vogue during the Victorian era to have painted and painted wood. And this house during the time that it was constructed was indeed -- during the painted wood."

" So it was always meant to have a coat of paint on going to cut and who decorated this room about seven times I think that part of that was from me. Seasonality of the house you could leave. In the winter. It was only a summer house so that construction be could be going on nonstop and many come back and it's potentially -- yeah."

" Yeah and -- change just through coffered ceilings to plaster to just full."

" Really changes with the conservatory. Something that you've added on it looks like it's. Brand new."

" It's now we'll -- them a lot of work at some because of its exposure to elements on so many sides it was actually in very very bad condition. But it is original for the house and it's not a wonderful spot and we overlook there the Berkshire hills and the lake cast Stockbridge bowl. And so it really is that quite a therapeutic. Area."

" And when we do have brides who get married in the building many are drawn to that room."

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