Emily Vanderbilt was a prominent member of the Vanderbilt family known for their extravagant philanthropy. She was a well-known socialite, born in the mid-1800s in New York City as the granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt.
Her Massachusetts estate, built in 1886 and located in the Berkshires, was designed by Frederick Law Olmstead, best known for his work on New York’s Central Park. The Elm Court Estate measures in at 55,000 square feet and is now listed for $12.5 million.
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.
The Vanderbilt family is a well-known name in the history of philanthropy. Their fortune began during the Gilded Age, and over the many decades, the family became linked for other similar families through marriage, as is the case with the elder Emily Vanderbilt — she married William Douglas Sloane in 1872.
They financed the creation of New York’s Sloane Hospital for Women, which still operates today and is also home to some of Columbia University’s medical departments. The Sloane family also donated to create the Sloane Physics Laboratory at Yale University.
The Vanderbilt Sloane children would go on to carry this legacy, with the younger Emily becoming a prominent author and socialite, as well as the president of numerous charities.
In 1886, Emily and William built this gorgeous Berkshires estate, an Olmstead design. The estate comes in at 55,000 square feet, sitting on 89 acres of land in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts. The house has a total of 106 rooms, 13 of which are newly renovated bedrooms.
Other features of the estate include a large butler’s pantry, a recently-updated chef’s island kitchen, a butler’s house, a library, multiple greenhouses, a carriage house and stable, two barns, and separate houses for caretakers and gardeners.
The unique Olmstead design comes in true elegance: an intricately carved plaster ceiling hangs above the dining room, herringbone floors line the home, and a number of preserved fireplaces adorn several of the many rooms.
Outside, the 89 acres of land sit in the beautiful Berkshires of Massachusetts, with well-kept landscaping surrounding the home itself and beautiful woods covering a large portion of the property. The view from the property looks out over the rolling hills and features in some places a Mediterranean aesthetic.
The Vanderbilt family home is one of America’s most historic homes, though less ornate than the family’s famous home in North Carolina. Fitting, though, as this estate perfectly captures the cozy feel of New England — it is elegant, but not over-the-top.
The home was modeled after Colonial American architecture, and it is registered as a National Historic Landmark. Original details have been preserved, including 13 of its bedrooms, the intricately carved ceiling in the formal dining room, the hardwood herringbone flooring, and the massive stone and marble fireplaces. Other features, like the chef’s kitchen, have also been updated.
This gorgeous estate, built in the late 1800s for Emily Vanderbilt and William Douglas Sloane, is now on the market. It is a perfect historical landmark to New England as well as the family’s rich history. The Elm Court Estate is listed for $12.5 million.
Jon Dykstra owns an interior design company in North Vancouver, British Columbia. He's fascinated by architecture and interiors. He also enjoys gardening at his "house in the burbs" and "homesteading" at his off-the-grid boat-access cabin.
Combine all that with a love of writing and Homestratsophere.com was born. He balances his working time between running his interior design company, working on his off-the-grid cabin and publishing homestratosphere.com.
