Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Chateau des Thons

Recently I came across a house that looked VERY familiar to me -it was used in an insurance ad back in 1990 and I had torn it out of a magazine and it was one of very first images in my files (yes, I was 10 years old and had a clipping file). That house is Chateau des Thons.the image that started it all from an insurance ad

While the chateau is on Long Island (and recently was for sale for between $ 5-7.5 million depending where you look) it started out life across the Atlantic as a wing of a chateau. In 1928 Ashbel H. Barney had it shipped lock stop and barrel to the Gold Coast. Rumored (but proven to not be the case as it was at another chateau) to be the lovenest of Voltaire and one of his lovers, Madame de Chatelet, it is sometimes named after the author. Fokelore is stronger than fact in most cases......

18 years later and this is still my dreamhouse. Unfortunately I was unable to find any interior photos other than one but I can always imagine what the interior is like :-) I love the creeping green, lush gardens and the limestone pavers throughout. The moss covered stone is original (even the MOSS was shipped across the pond) -they did things right during the jazz age!

Read more about the property online at Sothebys or it's own website.

15 comments:

pve design said...

I love it that you began your passion for beautiful things at an early age. You have an old world soul.
Stunning place. Just dreamy.

ArchitectDesign™ said...

Thanks, PVE! It's something my parents instilled in me at a young age; dragging me to house museums, all over Europe and antique stores.

Fifi Flowers said...

Gorgeous Chateau! I want it!

ArchitectDesign™ said...

Buy it, Fifi and invite me over for a visit! haha

pve design said...

I am sure that you were happily "dragged" to all those museums and shops. Please "take me"-
I had to come back again and salivate over that home.
Could we start a fund and chip in.... that place is truly a work of art & craft.
Running to break my piggy bank.

ArchitectDesign™ said...

I know, PVE -i keep returning to this house (and the clipping from 18 years ago!) This is a magical place! Once years ago I had a very vivid dream that was set here as well - it's ingrained in my memory!

cotedetexas said...

who cares what the inside looks like? we can fix it up!! you ane me together. this is so gorgeous, eye candy in the truest sense of the word. just to die for. seriously. when I was around 10, my dream house was a DuPont house that was featured in a magazine. It had a long gallery axis that ran the width of the house. For some reason I fell in love with that house and remained in love for years.
All my drawings of floorplans always had a long gallery. Do you know that house? I would love to see it today.

Joni

cotedetexas said...

on the web site - if you look at the articles - there are about 3 interior shots - gorgeous wood floors, bois paneling. looks good enough inside for me.

ArchitectDesign™ said...

I agree CdT! You can make anything nice -especially when the outside is this good -you know the inside has something special! I saw those photos of the wood paneling, but didn't think they were too descriptive -but they were beautiful!!! I love long galleries as well! I've been thinking more about my 'dream house' and have the inspiration to mwork on it a bit more -maybe in a week or two i'll post some pictures and sketches with what I come up with

Fifi Flowers said...

BLOG OWNED CHATEAU! Looks like everyone wants to chip in! TIME SHARE?

ArchitectDesign™ said...

OOo yes -that would be fun, fifi!! What a great project -we could stay up all night redecorating and chatting over wine! lol

Fifi Flowers said...

SOUNDS FAB! ROUND UP THE BLOGS... will NEED LOTS of them! PVE Cote de Texas are interested... get BIZEE!

ArchitectDesign™ said...

I'll put in like - $100 -sure LOL - so that means we only need like 7 million more dollars!

Anonymous said...

I thought I was the only kid who had a clipping file. whew! at last I'm not alone.

ArchitectDesign™ said...

haha - it's a lifelong hobby! I was just putting new images in mine earlier this morning, Derek!