Wedding ceremony on the Winthrop Estate Lawn, early summer

We are thinking about the upcoming summer weddings as the snow is melting and flowers are beginning to emerge.  Some couples are making their final menu choices, signing off on the floral designs, getting their welcome gift items, and drafting their programs, etc.  I like to focus the planning of the wedding on what type of environment and experience the couple wants to create for their friends and family.   Though there are many decisions to make and people to seat, the couple will remember the time with their friends and their families, not what color their napkins were. Still, most of the design and details they put time and money into do show up in their pictures or  videos or keepsakes, but we focus on creating an ideal environment for the guests to celebrate this couple and for all to enjoy, with a beautiful backdrop for their wedding memories.  Weddings are very special occasions, and we are looking forward to this summer and the celebrations at the Winthrop Estate!  photo by Scott Barrow.

Silk Dining Room Curtains

The silk curtains in the dining room were chosen and installed by the current owners a few years ago.  The color picks up the red-orange-rust color of the dining room walls, which have the original paint, a faux finish style that was popular in the 1920s. The current owners have redecorated many of the rooms, adding full length curtains, antiques, oriental rugs and in some bedrooms, upholstered walls.  The decor reflects the style and elegance of the mansion architecture and many guests comment on how the rooms look like they were meant to be as they are. Often people don’t notice the exquisite details of the mansion until the take a tour.  Photo by Ticky Kennedy.

Dining Room, set for a reception dinner, wedding weekend

The Dining Room is set here for a reception dinner. Guests were enjoying the cocktail hour when we took this picture. This room can hold 4 tables of 8 people each at the most.  These table centerpieces were created by the estate florist, Crocus Hale.  The table settings, linens and chairs were rented from Classical Tents.

Library at the Winthrop Estate

On every weekend the estate is used, whether it’s a destination wedding, a family vacation, a retreat or a concert, people find their way to the Library, which is just off the foyer, to play board games, read by the fire, or enjoy a conversation.  Sometimes they listen to the tube-amplified MacIntosh radio with AudioResearch amps on AudioPhysic speakers, sitting in the soft leather chairs and sometimes they just watch their child enjoy himself.  Photo by Konrad Brattke

Winthrop Estate Foyer, ready for the party

This foyer picture looks South, through the French doors to the verandah and Great Lawn. This room stays quite cool in the summer, and was lovely on hot days even before we added the a/c. The building is mostly a stone façade on the first floor, and this room does not get much passive solar hear and it is the coolest place in the whole house. I remember hanging out with friends in the foyer the first year we were at the estate, before we did any restoration, one summer evening marveling at the heat outside. Now the estate is fully air-conditioned and we revealed the wood floor you see here a few years ago. This space is very popular for mingling and socializing. It’s ready for you. Photo by Konrad Brattke

Verandah with Mist, early morning

This picture was taken in 2004 and continues to evoke the morning magic of being at a country estate. When you see the mist rising from the ground in the morning, and rising up from the valley to the west, you can hear many birds singing.

Stunning New England Fall Foliage

You don’t have to go driving to see the trees turning. You can sit on the verandah and look west to see this vista. This picture was taken in late October, 2008. Each year we try to guess the peak of foliage in New England and each year no one can quite agree which week it is when you are in it. It’s only in hindsight that we know the “peak”. It depends on water and warmth and sun, and I love watching the trees change for many weeks during the fall in Lenox. The estate has a tree map noting the many types of trees on the property. We have some specimen plantings from about 80 years ago, including some rare Ginko Biloba trees.

The Music Room

The Music Room is usually used as a living room. However, the room changes depending on the guests. It has had a cabaret singer who played the piano and lead a sing-along for a musical family on their reunion weekend; it has held a 8’ Christmas tree; it has hosted a wedding ceremony on New Year’s Eve for a group of 24; it has held talented musicians from major symphonies (such as the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra) for intimate concerts (to see more about programs we host, see www.LenoxAthenaeum.org/~lenoxath/pastevents.html); it can accommodate a poker table (or 5); it can be a dance floor for a newly married bride and groom.

One of the charms of the estate is that every room has a unique purpose. This is the music room, home to our magnificent Steinway. Being in the Berkshires, we’ve seen a lot of musical talent come out of this area. At the estate, sometimes we host chamber music or lectures in the music room. Find out more about our programs at www.LenoxAthenaeum.org.

Fun fact – the room needs to be a certain temperature to preserve the Steinway, and you’ll find this room a lot cooler and quieter than the others. It’s perfect for playing for a small intimate audience.