Private Newport - with Bettie Bearden Pardee

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The Parterre Bench


Capturing Fall’s Golden Light: The Parterre Bench

11 / 3 / 168 / 14 / 20

I’ve been thrilled about red, crazy about blue — and now I’m simply mad about golden yellow. That soft, golden light of fall is so seductive; it’s also the first… Read More

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Crazy for Blue!

10 / 20 / 166 / 13 / 22

When deciding what color to paint the original Parterre Bench, I was torn between the sage (“Parterre”) green and the blue that seems to be a favorite among French gardens… Read More

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A New Fall Wardrobe: The Parterre Bench

10 / 13 / 168 / 14 / 20

Just the words “Chinese Lacquer Red ” conjure up for me romantic visions of Mandarin silk jackets; Louboutin soles; Diana Vreeland’s legendary New York apartment; a sexy, sexy red lipstick;… Read More

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A Life of Its Own: Musings on the Parterre Bench

10 / 4 / 168 / 14 / 20

It’s been an exciting past three summer months — not only for me but for the Parterre Bench as well. After her formal introduction following the Newport Flower Show in… Read More

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Iris Apfel: Out and About in Newport

9 / 8 / 168 / 14 / 20

Visitors always give us an opportunity to see Newport through someone else’s eyes. Imagine the fun when those eyes belong to Iris Apfel (and special access is afforded). Saturday presented… Read More

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Summer Picnics: 14 Don’t-Miss Pointers

8 / 16 / 168 / 14 / 20

Picnics! What is summer without them? And sometimes the best spot for the occasion just may be on your own plot of heaven. If truth be told, I find myself… Read More

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Planted Containers: Horticultural Delights for an August Garden

8 / 4 / 168 / 14 / 20

It’s about this time of the summer that planters are “strutting their stuff,” full and bounteous with mature horticultural offerings. From breathtaking and dramatic (repeating the planting around the gates… Read More

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Realizing a Dream: The Creation of the Parterre Bench

7 / 21 / 168 / 14 / 20

When something has been a dream for so long, it begins to take on mythic proportions…and begs that inevitable question…am I really going to design this bench? Somehow in my… Read More

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The Works of Hunt Slonem: A Distinct & Delightful Charm

7 / 12 / 168 / 14 / 20

Newport in the summer enjoys a gracious plenty of captivating visitors — last week it was designer and gardener Bunny Williams at the Newport Flower Show; this week it is celebrated… Read More

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Bunny Williams: On Garden Style

7 / 5 / 168 / 14 / 20

The Newport Flower Show is always a much-anticipated start to the “summer season,” but it was especially so this year! Bunny Williams was a guest speaker, an esteemed designer that I’ve… 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

Summer in Newport means the estates come alive again…

Just around the corner from Parterre sits The Orchard, a storied home long admired for its welcoming celadon gates, gold leaf detailing, and gardens that feel frozen in another era. Now beautifully readied for the season, and awaiting its next owner.

Swipe for a peek inside one of Newport’s most quietly remarkable properties…

📸: Vanderbilt international properties

#newportri #privatenewport #newportmansion #gildedage #luxuryrealestate

View Instagram post by privatenewport

May 24

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Summer in Newport means the estates come alive again…

Just around the corner from Parterre sits The Orchard, a storied home long admired for its welcoming celadon gates, gold leaf detailing, and gardens that feel frozen in another era. Now beautifully readied for the season, and awaiting its next owner.

Swipe for a peek inside one of Newport’s most quietly remarkable properties…

📸: Vanderbilt international properties 

#newportri #privatenewport #newportmansion #gildedage #luxuryrealestate

privatenewport

The Breakers wasn’t built to blend in… it was built to leave an impression. From the limestone façade to the oceanfront setting, every detail feels larger than life even a century later.

And honestly? Newport still carries that same energy✨

Follow for more iconic Newport estates, hidden details, and Gilded Age beauty☁️🤍
#privatenewport #newportri #newportmansions #thebreakersnewport #privateliving

View Instagram post by privatenewport

May 21

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Open post by privatenewport with ID 17987760002811565
The Breakers wasn’t built to blend in… it was built to leave an impression. From the limestone façade to the oceanfront setting, every detail feels larger than life even a century later.

And honestly? Newport still carries that same energy✨

Follow for more iconic Newport estates, hidden details, and Gilded Age beauty☁️🤍
#privatenewport #newportri #newportmansions #thebreakersnewport #privateliving

privatenewport

Everyone knows The Breakers.

But Bois Doré is the kind of Newport estate people whisper about✨

Elegant without trying. Hidden behind gates and gravel drives. Timeless in a way trends could never replicate☁️

Follow @privatenewport for more hidden Newport history, estates, and gardens🤍
#privatenewport #newportri #privateliving #boisdoré #newportestates

View Instagram post by privatenewport

May 19

452 18
Open post by privatenewport with ID 18400480072159789
Everyone knows The Breakers.

But Bois Doré is the kind of Newport estate people whisper about✨

Elegant without trying. Hidden behind gates and gravel drives. Timeless in a way trends could never replicate☁️

Follow @privatenewport for more hidden Newport history, estates, and gardens🤍
#privatenewport #newportri #privateliving #boisdoré #newportestates

privatenewport

A quiet corner inside The Breakers - where even the hallways were designed to impress✨

Built as the Vanderbilt family’s summer “cottage,” The Breakers remains one of Newport’s most iconic Gilded Age estates… and moments like this explain why.

The marble.
The vaulted ceilings.
The feeling that every detail mattered.

Follow for more hidden details from Newport’s legendary mansions✨

#NewportRI #TheBreakers #GildedAge #PrivateNewport #LuxuryInteriors

View Instagram post by privatenewport

May 14

527 23
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A quiet corner inside The Breakers - where even the hallways were designed to impress✨

Built as the Vanderbilt family’s summer “cottage,” The Breakers remains one of Newport’s most iconic Gilded Age estates… and moments like this explain why.

The marble.
The vaulted ceilings.
The feeling that every detail mattered.

Follow for more hidden details from Newport’s legendary mansions✨

#NewportRI #TheBreakers #GildedAge #PrivateNewport #LuxuryInteriors

privatenewport

Wrapping up our time at Virginia’s Historic Garden Week with some of the details that stayed with us most 🌿

The brick paths.
The hidden fountains.
The climbing roses.
The kind of homes and gardens that remind you beauty was once created slowly… and meant to last.

Thank you for following along through one of the most beautiful spring traditions in the South - we already know these places will stay in our minds for a long time🌥️

Which photo was your favorite from this series?👀
#virginiagardenweek #richmondvirginia #gardensofrichmond #privateliving #privatenewport

View Instagram post by privatenewport

May 12

427 22
Open post by privatenewport with ID 18464953345110908
Wrapping up our time at Virginia’s Historic Garden Week with some of the details that stayed with us most 🌿

The brick paths.
The hidden fountains.
The climbing roses.
The kind of homes and gardens that remind you beauty was once created slowly… and meant to last.

Thank you for following along through one of the most beautiful spring traditions in the South - we already know these places will stay in our minds for a long time🌥️

Which photo was your favorite from this series?👀
#virginiagardenweek #richmondvirginia #gardensofrichmond #privateliving #privatenewport

privatenewport

Before “quiet luxury” had a name, homes like Parterre were already living it. Gardens that evolve with the seasons, rooms designed for conversation, and a pace of life that feels almost impossible now💫✨
#privatenewport #newportri #privateliving #newporthomes #gildedage

View Instagram post by privatenewport

May 11

1094 22
Open post by privatenewport with ID 18140137576523606
Before “quiet luxury” had a name, homes like Parterre were already living it. Gardens that evolve with the seasons, rooms designed for conversation, and a pace of life that feels almost impossible now💫✨
#privatenewport #newportri #privateliving #newporthomes #gildedage
Follow Bettie on Instagram

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Bettie's Faves

  • Charlotte Moss
  • La Dolce Vita
  • My Beautiful Paris
  • The Enchanted Home
  • The Glam Pad
  • The Lush List
  • The Potted Boxwood
  • Vicki Archer
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