Private Newport - with Bettie Bearden Pardee

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Tag Archives: lifestyle


Newport Society: Closing Beaulieu for the Season

9 / 7 / 177 / 27 / 20

Beaulieu is a very distinguished house. Dating from 1862, it is one of the oldest homes still in private hands on Bellevue Avenue, and its grounds remain just as the… Read More

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Summer Sips with Panache

6 / 22 / 177 / 27 / 20

The world of today and its fascination with “Lifestyle” has introduced some new takes on an old standby…the Cocktail Hour. Just a few days ago I had the pleasure of… Read More

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Tastemaker: Jane Scott Hodges of Leontine Linens

11 / 17 / 167 / 17 / 20

In addition to enjoying the sublime weather in New Orleans, I had the long anticipated pleasure of visiting with Jane Scott Hodges, founder of Leontine Linens that are distinguished by… 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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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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A Revealing Interview with Iris Apfel

9 / 13 / 167 / 17 / 20

After the sheer pleasure of spending the weekend with this self-described “oldest living teenager,” and capturing her spirit and wisdom in a video interview, what are my personal impressions of… 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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Euonymus, an Overlooked Garden Design Asset

3 / 24 / 168 / 14 / 20
Euonymus

It’s always insightful to hear someone else’s “take” on one’s garden, especially if it’s Martha Stewart. Her interest in our use of euonymus (pronounced u-on-a-mus) as a design element caught… Read More

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The REAL Inspiration for Downton Abbey? Gilded Age Newport

3 / 10 / 165 / 28 / 24

Dear readers, yes, we are all bereft that our favorite Sunday night show is no longer there for the watching, but no need to go into a decline — Downton… Read More

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Monograms for the Home: The Art of Making your Mark

10 / 20 / 157 / 15 / 20

Monograms are a favorite pleasure of mine, adding such personal details to this lovely world in which we are privileged to be a part. What a wonderful bit of serendipity… 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

One of the last great mansions built in Newport, Bois Doré has quietly watched generations come and go. Its name translates to ‘gilded wood,’ a fitting tribute to the golden avenue of pollarded lindens that transforms the entrance each autumn. Beyond the pink stucco walls lies a house where every room tells a story, of art, gardens, entertaining, and a distinctly European elegance that still feels timeless today.

Some homes are admired. Others are remembered. Bois Doré has always been both.

Which detail would you linger over first?✨
#privatenewport #boisdoré #gildedwood #privateliving #privatehomes

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Jul 23

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Open post by privatenewport with ID 18006654782756454
One of the last great mansions built in Newport, Bois Doré has quietly watched generations come and go. Its name translates to ‘gilded wood,’ a fitting tribute to the golden avenue of pollarded lindens that transforms the entrance each autumn. Beyond the pink stucco walls lies a house where every room tells a story, of art, gardens, entertaining, and a distinctly European elegance that still feels timeless today.

Some homes are admired. Others are remembered. Bois Doré has always been both.

Which detail would you linger over first?✨
#privatenewport #boisdoré #gildedwood #privateliving #privatehomes

privatenewport

The rains have come and gone. The heat has broken. A languid, sublime afternoon awaits arriving houseguests, the kind of afternoon Newport seems to reserve for late July alone☀️

There is a quiet magic here after a summer rain. The gravel settles, the gardens glow, and every stone, shutter, and tree feels as though it has been waiting for the light to return✨

Aaah, late July in Newport🌊

Follow @privatenewport for the Newport most visitors never get to see..
#privatenewport #newportri #privateliving #newportsummer #privatehomes

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Jul 20

243 8
Open post by privatenewport with ID 18080317892654126
The rains have come and gone. The heat has broken. A languid, sublime afternoon awaits arriving houseguests, the kind of afternoon Newport seems to reserve for late July alone☀️

There is a quiet magic here after a summer rain. The gravel settles, the gardens glow, and every stone, shutter, and tree feels as though it has been waiting for the light to return✨

Aaah, late July in Newport🌊

Follow @privatenewport for the Newport most visitors never get to see..
#privatenewport #newportri #privateliving #newportsummer #privatehomes

privatenewport

The color of a Newport summer? Hydrangea blue💙

From quiet garden paths to historic estates, these blooms have become as iconic as the mansions themselves. Some traditions don’t need reinventing, they simply return more beautiful every year.

Save for your Newport bucket list, and follow @privatenewport for more timeless Rhode Island beauty
💙🩵💜💙🩵💜
#hydrangeaseason #privateliving #hydrangealove #newportsummer #newportri

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Jul 19

462 14
Open post by privatenewport with ID 18019412594894970
The color of a Newport summer? Hydrangea blue💙

From quiet garden paths to historic estates, these blooms have become as iconic as the mansions themselves. Some traditions don’t need reinventing, they simply return more beautiful every year.

Save for your Newport bucket list, and follow @privatenewport for more timeless Rhode Island beauty
💙🩵💜💙🩵💜
#hydrangeaseason #privateliving #hydrangealove #newportsummer #newportri

privatenewport

As July settles over Newport, another familiar ritual quietly returns. The hydrangeas bloom with the same dependable grace they’ve carried for generations, softening marble terraces, winding carriage drives, and hidden garden paths alike.

Some are expected. Others still surprise you.

Which Newport hydrangea display stops you in your tracks every summer? 🌿💙
#hygrangeaseason #hygrangeas #privatenewport #privateliving #newportsummer

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Jul 16

435 12
Open post by privatenewport with ID 18118560511865752
As July settles over Newport, another familiar ritual quietly returns. The hydrangeas bloom with the same dependable grace they’ve carried for generations, softening marble terraces, winding carriage drives, and hidden garden paths alike.

Some are expected. Others still surprise you.

Which Newport hydrangea display stops you in your tracks every summer? 🌿💙
#hygrangeaseason #hygrangeas #privatenewport #privateliving #newportsummer

privatenewport

Beyond the mansions, Newport reveals another kind of beauty…

A winding gravel path. Perfectly clipped hedges. A quiet bench tucked among summer blooms.

Parterre proves that elegance doesn’t have to be loud.

Follow along as we continue opening the gates to Newport’s most extraordinary gardens, homes, and hidden places💫
🌿 Save this for your Newport inspiration
#privatenewport #newportri #privateliving #newportestates #privatehomes

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Jul 13

132 4
Open post by privatenewport with ID 18131518648613378
Beyond the mansions, Newport reveals another kind of beauty…

A winding gravel path. Perfectly clipped hedges. A quiet bench tucked among summer blooms.

Parterre proves that elegance doesn’t have to be loud.

Follow along as we continue opening the gates to Newport’s most extraordinary gardens, homes, and hidden places💫
🌿 Save this for your Newport inspiration
#privatenewport #newportri #privateliving #newportestates #privatehomes

privatenewport

If this is your first time seeing Parterre… welcome🌸

Hidden behind its gates is one of Newport’s most enchanting private gardens, a place where every path, bloom, and clipped hedge feels like stepping into another era.

Follow @privatenewport for more places most visitors never see💫
#privatenewport #parterre #privateliving #newportgardens #newportsummers

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Jul 12

525 22
Open post by privatenewport with ID 18098672288188343
If this is your first time seeing Parterre… welcome🌸

Hidden behind its gates is one of Newport’s most enchanting private gardens, a place where every path, bloom, and clipped hedge feels like stepping into another era.

Follow @privatenewport for more places most visitors never see💫
#privatenewport #parterre #privateliving #newportgardens #newportsummers
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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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