The Biltmore Estate

One of the highlights of my trip to North Carolina this weekend was a visit to the Biltmore Estate in Asheville. At a modest 175,000 square feet, it's the largest home in America. It was built in 1895 by George Vanderbilt. The carefully curated furniture, fabric choices, wall coverings, were positively exquisite. My favorite room featured a purple and gold color scheme with velvet damask wall paper and a white marble fireplace. I was blown away by the details, from the stately architectural features representative of the Gilded Age to the intricate curiosities collected from travels abroad. As a Downton Abbey fan, it was a fun surprise that 60 of the original...