Private Newport - with Bettie Bearden Pardee

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Tag Archives: wood


The Making of a Mini Vegetable Garden

8 / 3 / 177 / 27 / 20

What are two young darlings to do when dwelling in the eighth oldest home in Newport and desperate for a garden of their own? I am delighted to share with… Read More

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12 Quintessential Images Capturing Newport’s Classic American Elegance

5 / 18 / 177 / 27 / 20

Thank you, Sam Dangremond, for once again mentioning the “twelve gorgeous pictures” that appear in my book, Living Newport: Houses, People, Style as proof that “Newport is the Epitome of… Read More

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Afternoon Tea in London

1 / 26 / 177 / 17 / 20

  What a fun post to pen! Next to champagne I adore tea. From the sense of occasion to the last bite of an English scone, tea for me is… Read More

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11 Captivating Spaces: Newport’s Private Homes

1 / 12 / 177 / 17 / 20

This past Christmas had more than its share of parties in splendid settings. At a New Year’s day luncheon, I was sitting in a beautifully paneled room, a fifth anniversary… Read More

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A Gilded Christmas, Newport Style

12 / 8 / 165 / 28 / 24

Newport’s 375 year history comes gloriously alive at Christmas. From the early Colonial days to the extravagant Gilded Age, our “City by the Sea” is in a most celebratory mood.… Read More

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A Trip Down Memory Lane: The Buick Woody

8 / 25 / 167 / 17 / 20

Newport has been in the grips of a stifling heat and humidity spell so credit this funny story to possible sunstroke…it’s so out of character for me…but I marshaled forward assuming… 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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“Rock Star” Architects in Newport: McKim, Mead & White

5 / 11 / 167 / 17 / 20
McKim Mead & White

The architectural firm of McKim, Mead & White have been credited with defining the signature look of Gilded Age America. During the heady period of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries,… Read More

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7 Steps to Hosting a Successful Cheese-Tasting Party

4 / 12 / 167 / 17 / 20

Who doesn’t love cheeses? If it weren’t for their high caloric count, I could live quite nicely on them for a daily diet of protein. However, a recent front page article… Read More

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Dressing Your Closet: Saving your Sanity Part 2

2 / 18 / 167 / 17 / 20

There! Now that you’ve gone through the painful, ooops, entertaining exercise of sorting, consolidating, purging and editing your wardrobe, you deserve a payoff for your time and efforts. While many… 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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Insta Happenings

privatenewport

Soon, soon, soon our gorgeous pairs of matched ‘Hally Jolivette’ cherries will be coming into bloom. Always a reason for celebration here at Parterre, when other trees don’t even have leaves. Their delicate pink flowers herald what spring is all about! 🌸💕
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#privatenewport #springhassprung #privatehomes #springgardens #springinnewport

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Apr 9

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Open post by privatenewport with ID 17943130740178794
Soon, soon, soon our gorgeous pairs of matched ‘Hally Jolivette’ cherries will be coming into bloom. Always a reason for celebration here at Parterre, when other trees don’t even have leaves. Their delicate pink flowers herald what spring is all about! 🌸💕
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#privatenewport #springhassprung #privatehomes #springgardens #springinnewport

privatenewport

Early whispers of spring are starting to show themselves in Newport… though the real season is still just out of reach along our coastal shores.

This in-between moment always brings back memories of the many beautiful spring landscapes I’ve encountered across the country during my book travels, each destination marking the season in its own unforgettable way. The Gardens of the North Shore of Chicago will always be memorable🌷🌸🌿
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📸credit: Scott Shigley Photo
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#springtimeinnewport #privatenewport #springhassprung #privateliving #gardensofthenorthshoreofchicago

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Apr 7

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Open post by privatenewport with ID 17926927095087301
Early whispers of spring are starting to show themselves in Newport… though the real season is still just out of reach along our coastal shores.

This in-between moment always brings back memories of the many beautiful spring landscapes I’ve encountered across the country during my book travels, each destination marking the season in its own unforgettable way. The Gardens of the North Shore of Chicago will always be memorable🌷🌸🌿
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📸credit: Scott Shigley Photo 
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#springtimeinnewport #privatenewport #springhassprung #privateliving #gardensofthenorthshoreofchicago

privatenewport

Easter arrives early this year, just as the first signs of spring begin to appear. Snowdrops, crocus, and muscari quietly announce the season of renewal - each delicate bloom a reminder of nature’s simple blessings🐰🤍

For me, Easter has always been a signal to bring on the flowers… celebrating the beauty, joy, and promise that spring brings🐣🥂
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#happyeaster #privatenewport #springishere #privateliving #newportspring

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Apr 5

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Open post by privatenewport with ID 18069457085302148
Easter arrives early this year, just as the first signs of spring begin to appear. Snowdrops, crocus, and muscari quietly announce the season of renewal - each delicate bloom a reminder of nature’s simple blessings🐰🤍

For me, Easter has always been a signal to bring on the flowers… celebrating the beauty, joy, and promise that spring brings🐣🥂
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#happyeaster #privatenewport #springishere #privateliving #newportspring

privatenewport

At Parterre, even Easter arrives with a sense of occasion. 🌸🐣💜

Pastels, polished silver, and a table set as if spring itself were the guest of honor… soft lavender linens, garden-fresh florals, sugar-dusted confections, and chairs dressed for the occasion in their holiday best. A reminder that some of the most memorable celebrations aren’t the grandest, but the ones thoughtfully set.

As Newport prepares for another beautiful spring season, gatherings like this at Parterre feel like a quiet welcome back to spring… where entertaining is truly an art form and every detail feels intentional.

Wishing you a beautiful Easter filled with elegance, renewal, and just the right amount of something sweet✨
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#privatenewport #happyeaster #parterre #easterinnewport #springdécor

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Apr 2

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Open post by privatenewport with ID 17913630363161652
At Parterre, even Easter arrives with a sense of occasion. 🌸🐣💜

Pastels, polished silver, and a table set as if spring itself were the guest of honor… soft lavender linens, garden-fresh florals, sugar-dusted confections, and chairs dressed for the occasion in their holiday best. A reminder that some of the most memorable celebrations aren’t the grandest, but the ones thoughtfully set.

As Newport prepares for another beautiful spring season, gatherings like this at Parterre feel like a quiet welcome back to spring… where entertaining is truly an art form and every detail feels intentional.

Wishing you a beautiful Easter filled with elegance, renewal, and just the right amount of something sweet✨
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#privatenewport #happyeaster #parterre #easterinnewport #springdécor

privatenewport

New Zealand is celebrated for its extraordinary gardens, and Auckland’s Eden Garden is among its quiet standouts. A vision in layered greens, the landscape unfolds with sculptural plantings, stacked stonework, and a delicate waterfall that casts a soft mist into the air above🍃

After wandering the paths, a proper high tea awaits nearby… a civilized pause that feels entirely in keeping with the garden’s sense of calm beauty🌳

Proof that in New Zealand, even a simple afternoon can feel like an occasion🌊☁️
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#privatenewport #newzealand #edengarden #auklandnewzealand #gardensofnewzealand

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Mar 31

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Open post by privatenewport with ID 17964458514052014
New Zealand is celebrated for its extraordinary gardens, and Auckland’s Eden Garden is among its quiet standouts. A vision in layered greens, the landscape unfolds with sculptural plantings, stacked stonework, and a delicate waterfall that casts a soft mist into the air above🍃

After wandering the paths, a proper high tea awaits nearby… a civilized pause that feels entirely in keeping with the garden’s sense of calm beauty🌳

Proof that in New Zealand, even a simple afternoon can feel like an occasion🌊☁️
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#privatenewport #newzealand #edengarden #auklandnewzealand #gardensofnewzealand

privatenewport

Nothing makes you feel quite "back home" after a few weeks in New Zealand like revisiting a piece of Newport history🪞

A recent stop at the @newportartmuseum brought me to the works of storied painter Howard Gardiner Cushing, whose legacy continues to quietly shape the city`s cultural fabric ✨

The evening continued just a short distance away at @flora.newport the charming restaurant tucked inside the boutique Gardiner House hotel - opened by Cushing`s great-great-grandson, Howard G. Cushing III.

Flora itself carries a meaningful name, chosen in honor of Flora Payne Whitney, daughter of Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney and part of the extended circle of families who helped shape Newport`s social and artistic history.
A particularly thoughtful touch: a version of Cushing`s portrait from the museum now serves as a striking focal point above the restaurant`s bar... a subtle bridge between Newport`s past and its present.
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#privatenewport #newportartmuseum #floraresturant #newportliving #newportrhodeisland

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Mar 29

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Open post by privatenewport with ID 18369697900206760
Nothing makes you feel quite "back home" after a few weeks in New Zealand like revisiting a piece of Newport history🪞

A recent stop at the @newportartmuseum brought me to the works of storied painter Howard Gardiner Cushing, whose legacy continues to quietly shape the city's cultural fabric ✨

The evening continued just a short distance away at @flora.newport the charming restaurant tucked inside the boutique Gardiner House hotel - opened by Cushing's great-great-grandson, Howard G. Cushing III. 

Flora itself carries a meaningful name, chosen in honor of Flora Payne Whitney, daughter of Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney and part of the extended circle of families who helped shape Newport's social and artistic history.
A particularly thoughtful touch: a version of Cushing's portrait from the museum now serves as a striking focal point above the restaurant's bar... a subtle bridge between Newport's past and its present.
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#privatenewport #newportartmuseum #floraresturant #newportliving #newportrhodeisland
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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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