Private Newport - with Bettie Bearden Pardee

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Living with Style


Hansel and Gretel in Richmond

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Historic Garden Week in Richmond provided such warm memories of both horticultural and architectural inspiration. One setting lingers in my mind, which I cannot resist calling the “Hansel and Gretel… Read More

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Reminiscing about England

4 / 16 / 264 / 7 / 26

Along with the daffodils and the tulips, the other gift I anticipate the most about spring is my trip to England. But this year, “circumstances” superseded that annual/semi-annual trip…though New… Read More

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New Zealand’s Omaio Garden

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Omaio Garden (in Matakana) on the North Island of New Zealand would be the envy of anyone…even if you’re not a gardener. Liz Morrow’s talents clearly carry out the meaning… Read More

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Ayrlies Garden and Wetlands, New Zealand

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Ayrlies Garden is the creation of visionary Beverly McConnell, who, since 1964, has been sculpting 14 acres of bare farmland into one of New Zealand’s best known Gardens. An hour… Read More

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Palm Beach, a Taste for Regency

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Imagine the pleasure of coming to photograph a home only to realize that it was the former residence of a good friend…and then to see that this Regency jewel has… Read More

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An Island Enclave in Palm Beach

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Everglades Island, a thin sliver of land floating just off Palm Beach in the Intracoastal Waterway, is an enclave just a short causeway from South County Road. As with many … Read More

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Palm Beach and its Vias

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While I await my trip to New Zealand, I have to focus on something other than the icy snow with which we are stuck…and which is going nowhere fast! And… Read More

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Loggias and Lanais, Palm Beach Style

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Loggias and lanais, these two words just sound so romantic…recalling tropical breezes, lazy afternoons with a drink in hand or relaxing after a morning swim. The “easy life,” slow and… Read More

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Palm Beach: Private Perspectives

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Since I’ll be heading to New Zealand this winter instead of the southern states, I took a second to scroll through hundreds of images that I’ve snapped in past winters.… Read More

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Revisiting the Lake District of Italy

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Mid-January, with snow on the ground, is a wonderful time of the year to relax by the fire and look back at favorite trip pictures, a treat I save for… 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

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

397 17
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

516 23
Open post by privatenewport with ID 18103904227953462
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

414 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

1060 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

privatenewport

The Gilded Age didn’t believe in subtlety✨

The dining hall at The Breakers was designed to impress at every angle - soaring ceilings, gilded details, and the kind of grandeur modern luxury rarely touches anymore.

Newport really was America’s playground for excess, and honestly, we’re still not over it..
What’s the first detail your eyes went to?
#thebreakersnewport #newportmansions #privateliving #guildedage #guildedagemansions

View Instagram post by privatenewport

May 10

218 14
Open post by privatenewport with ID 18120233929734011
The Gilded Age didn’t believe in subtlety✨

The dining hall at The Breakers was designed to impress at every angle - soaring ceilings, gilded details, and the kind of grandeur modern luxury rarely touches anymore.

Newport really was America’s playground for excess, and honestly, we’re still not over it.. 
What’s the first detail your eyes went to?
#thebreakersnewport #newportmansions #privateliving #guildedage #guildedagemansions

privatenewport

You were never supposed to see these homes…

For one elegant week each spring, Virginia’s Historic Garden Week quietly opens the gates to some of the state’s most beautiful private estates and gardens.

Often called America’s largest open house, the tradition began in 1927 and now welcomes visitors into hundreds of homes usually hidden behind hedges, winding drives, and brick walls.

From classic Virginia red brick estates to grand Palladian-inspired manor houses, each stop feels like stepping into another era entirely.

Okay… but which one are you picking? 👀
#virginiagardenweek #richmondvirginia #privatenewport #privateliving #fyp

View Instagram post by privatenewport

May 7

1206 36
Open post by privatenewport with ID 17898831606287396
You were never supposed to see these homes…

For one elegant week each spring, Virginia’s Historic Garden Week quietly opens the gates to some of the state’s most beautiful private estates and gardens.

Often called America’s largest open house, the tradition began in 1927 and now welcomes visitors into hundreds of homes usually hidden behind hedges, winding drives, and brick walls.

From classic Virginia red brick estates to grand Palladian-inspired manor houses, each stop feels like stepping into another era entirely.

Okay… but which one are you picking? 👀
#virginiagardenweek #richmondvirginia #privatenewport #privateliving #fyp
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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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