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Everyday Chic


A Miniature Spring Tablescape

4 / 13 / 177 / 27 / 20

Spring…at last? In trying to hasten the green landscapes that seem so long in coming, I resorted to creating my own for spring entertaining occasions in the house. And what a fun… Read More

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Atlanta Garden Party

4 / 4 / 177 / 27 / 20

April has just arrived and I’m using it as an opportunity to share a Bon Appétit “Entertaining with Style” feature that was produced in 1994. Why? Because it is always… Read More

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The Salonniere 100: 2017

1 / 5 / 177 / 17 / 20

If you don’t know the blog, The Salonnière, you will definitely want to. Let me introduce you…these are some ladies who know how to party! So it’s no surprise that… Read More

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Newport’s Holiday Doorways

12 / 27 / 167 / 17 / 20

Our “City by the Sea” was founded in 1639, so the Colonial influence looms large in our history. Known as Newport’s “Golden Age” (as opposed to the “Gilded Age” of… Read More

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Pardee Planning: Savvy Southern Hospitality

10 / 11 / 167 / 17 / 20

We’ve all had this experience – you are looking for one thing in an old file or seldom-used drawer and you come upon something quite by surprise — which then… Read More

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Celebrating Iris Apfel’s 95th Birthday

9 / 1 / 1610 / 10 / 23

There are parties…and then there are PARTIES. This, though, was not a big bash but a small, intimate dinner at our home with fashion icon Iris Apfel on her 95th… Read More

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A Refreshing “Devine” Summer Tablescape

8 / 18 / 167 / 17 / 20

Isn’t this fabulous! No surprise, when the designer’s last name is Devine…Michael Douglas Xavier Devine, to be exact. When I walked onto the terrace at Rosecliff during the pre- Newport… Read More

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What’s Out There: The Best of Fourth of July

6 / 30 / 167 / 17 / 20

Flirty and Frisky for the Fourth It’s as easy as 1-2-3-4 First — What to Wear Madewell’s off-the-shoulder broderie anglaise cotton-blend top and CO’s ramie-blend maxi skirt.        … Read More

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Personal & Precious: The Art of the Thank You Note

5 / 19 / 167 / 17 / 20

In my most recent post we chatted about being a gracious host and a perfect house guest. A natural follow-on? Thoughts on handwritten thank you notes, both for the house… Read More

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Summer House Parties: 13 Tips for the Gracious Host and Perfect House Guest

5 / 17 / 167 / 17 / 20

Becoming the “perfect houseguest or gracious hostess” takes years of OTJ (on-the-job-training). Seldom do I spend a weekend in someone else’s environment that I do not come away with a… Read More

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About Bettie

Author of Private Newport and Living Newport, designer of the Parterre Bench, national lecturer, and entertaining expert.
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privatenewport

The grand rooms of Rosecliff @newport.mansions weren’t built to be silent…

During the Newport Flower Show, one of the mansion’s most captivating details quietly came to life, a self-playing piano filling the halls as guests wandered through rooms once designed for America’s wealthiest families.

It’s the kind of moment that reminds you these homes were never museums… they were meant to be lived in..

✨ Save this for your next Newport visit, and follow @privatenewport for more hidden details inside the city’s most extraordinary historic estates.
#privatenewport #newportri #gildedage #newportmansions #privateliving

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Jun 29

53 9
Open post by privatenewport with ID 17933663904090998
The grand rooms of Rosecliff @newport.mansions weren’t built to be silent…

During the Newport Flower Show, one of the mansion’s most captivating details quietly came to life, a self-playing piano filling the halls as guests wandered through rooms once designed for America’s wealthiest families.

It’s the kind of moment that reminds you these homes were never museums… they were meant to be lived in..

✨ Save this for your next Newport visit, and follow @privatenewport for more hidden details inside the city’s most extraordinary historic estates.
#privatenewport #newportri #gildedage #newportmansions #privateliving

privatenewport

Some rooms don’t demand attention, they quietly earn it..

Beyond Rosecliff’s @newport.mansions grand staircase is a space wrapped in rich wood paneling, hand-carved ceilings, and stories that have unfolded over generations. It’s easy to miss if you’re only looking for the ballroom.

These are the details that make Newport unforgettable.

🤍 Save this for your next mansion visit.
Follow @privatenewport for the Newport most people never get to experience✨
#privatenewport #newportri #newportmansions #rosecliff #privateliving

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Jun 28

515 13
Open post by privatenewport with ID 18101117891267002
Some rooms don’t demand attention, they quietly earn it..

Beyond Rosecliff’s @newport.mansions grand staircase is a space wrapped in rich wood paneling, hand-carved ceilings, and stories that have unfolded over generations. It’s easy to miss if you’re only looking for the ballroom.

These are the details that make Newport unforgettable.

🤍 Save this for your next mansion visit.
Follow @privatenewport for the Newport most people never get to experience✨
#privatenewport #newportri #newportmansions #rosecliff #privateliving

privatenewport

There are grand staircases… and then there’s Rosecliff..

For more than a century, these sweeping steps have welcomed society’s elite, dazzling gowns, celebrated guests, and evenings that became part of Newport’s legendary Gilded Age story. Every carved detail, every graceful curve, and every soaring ceiling was designed to leave a lasting impression, and it still does today💫

It’s impossible to stand here without imagining the music drifting through the halls, the anticipation before a ballroom filled with laughter, and the grandeur of an era when Newport was the center of America’s most extravagant summers✨

Some places preserve history….

Others make you feel like you’ve stepped inside it☁️

✨ Save this for your next Newport visit, and follow Private Newport for more timeless moments from the City by the Sea🌊
@newport.mansions
#privatenewport #rosecliff #newportmansions #gildedage #newportsummer

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Jun 25

410 13
Open post by privatenewport with ID 18186966058376120
There are grand staircases… and then there’s Rosecliff..

For more than a century, these sweeping steps have welcomed society’s elite, dazzling gowns, celebrated guests, and evenings that became part of Newport’s legendary Gilded Age story. Every carved detail, every graceful curve, and every soaring ceiling was designed to leave a lasting impression, and it still does today💫

It’s impossible to stand here without imagining the music drifting through the halls, the anticipation before a ballroom filled with laughter, and the grandeur of an era when Newport was the center of America’s most extravagant summers✨

Some places preserve history….

Others make you feel like you’ve stepped inside it☁️

✨ Save this for your next Newport visit, and follow Private Newport for more timeless moments from the City by the Sea🌊
@newport.mansions 
#privatenewport #rosecliff #newportmansions #gildedage #newportsummer

privatenewport

Part 2: The Newport Flower Show 🌿

For one weekend, Rosecliff @newport.mansions became Newport’s most beautiful address✨

Thousands of blooms, sweeping ocean views, and the grandeur of a Gilded Age estate set the stage for the Newport Flower Show, one of the city’s most beloved traditions🌸

It’s easy to see why people fall in love with Newport..

Save this for your next visit, and follow for more of the Newport most people never get to experience🤍

#newportflowershow #newportri #rosecliff #privatenewport #gildedage

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Jun 23

169 17
Open post by privatenewport with ID 18114627154895104
Part 2: The Newport Flower Show 🌿

For one weekend, Rosecliff @newport.mansions became Newport’s most beautiful address✨

Thousands of blooms, sweeping ocean views, and the grandeur of a Gilded Age estate set the stage for the Newport Flower Show, one of the city’s most beloved traditions🌸

It’s easy to see why people fall in love with Newport..

Save this for your next visit, and follow for more of the Newport most people never get to experience🤍

#newportflowershow #newportri #rosecliff #privatenewport #gildedage

privatenewport

Behind the doors of Newport’s most celebrated summer event… 🌸

The 2026 Newport Flower Show transformed Rosecliff’s @newport.mansions historic interiors into living works of art, where flowers, design, and Newport elegance met in the most extraordinary way✨

These are just a few of the details from inside this year’s “Pearls of Newport” exhibition🌊

Part 2 is coming tomorrow. Trust us, you’ll want to see what’s waiting outside👀🥀

✨ Save this for your Newport summer bucket list
🌿 Follow @privatenewport for more of the Newport most visitors never get to see
#privatenewport #newportmansions #gildedage #newportflowershow #rosecliffmansion

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Jun 22

211 32
Open post by privatenewport with ID 18447092419189526
Behind the doors of Newport’s most celebrated summer event… 🌸

The 2026 Newport Flower Show transformed Rosecliff’s @newport.mansions historic interiors into living works of art, where flowers, design, and Newport elegance met in the most extraordinary way✨

These are just a few of the details from inside this year’s “Pearls of Newport” exhibition🌊

Part 2 is coming tomorrow. Trust us, you’ll want to see what’s waiting outside👀🥀

✨ Save this for your Newport summer bucket list
🌿 Follow @privatenewport for more of the Newport most visitors never get to see
#privatenewport #newportmansions #gildedage #newportflowershow #rosecliffmansion

privatenewport

Just a teaser🌸

This weekend, Rosecliff with @newport.mansions was transformed for one of Newport’s most anticipated weekends of the year💫

We’ll be sharing the full Flower Show recap tomorrow..

Follow along if you love historic homes, gardens, and the side of Newport most people never get to experience💛
#newportflowershow #newportmansions #privatenewport #gildedage #architecture

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Jun 21

250 9
Open post by privatenewport with ID 18088550087456192
Just a teaser🌸

This weekend, Rosecliff with @newport.mansions was transformed for one of Newport’s most anticipated weekends of the year💫

We’ll be sharing the full Flower Show recap tomorrow..

Follow along if you love historic homes, gardens, and the side of Newport most people never get to experience💛
#newportflowershow #newportmansions #privatenewport #gildedage #architecture
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