Nemours Mansion and Gardens

Being a member of the ASID (American Society of Interior Designers) definitely has its perks. My all time favorite thing to do is touring historic homes, and last week my local chapter organized a group trip to Nemours in Delaware. This exquisite Mansion and gardens has recently reopened after undergoing a $38.6 million dollar renovation. 

Alfred I. DuPont built Nemours for his second wife Alicia Bradford Maddox DuPont between 1909 and 1910. The mansion was designed by the prestigious New York architectural firm Carrere and Hastings. The design of Nemours is loosely modeled after Le Petit Trianon, the beloved home and gardens of Queen Marie Antoinette. After Alicia passed away in 1920, Alfred married Jessie Dew Ball. The mansion was furnished over time by Alfred and Jessie. The DuPont’s procured many outstanding antiques, such as; Marie Antoinette’s musical clock, a chandelier that was Lafayette’s, and a leather chair from Independence Hall in Philadelphia. Alongside these fine antiques, there are quality pieces that were purchased at department stores. The eclectic collection of exquisite items throughout Nemours creates the ambience of a tasteful home that was lived in, not a museum of period style. For Architecture and Interior Design aficionados, Nemours is a treasure trove.

Functionality has been incorporated throughout the home. Indoor plumbing was a novelty when Nemours was built; however, the bath suites feature walk in showers as well as soaking tubs. Even the workout room in the basement is equipped with two shower stalls. The bowling alley converts to a home movie theater and is adjacent to the shuffleboard room. Cork flooring was used in the kitchen for the comfort of the staff. Cork flooring was also used in the billiards room in the areas surrounding the tables. Attesting to the durability of cork, the original material is still in the billiards room, the kitchen floor was replaced in 1970 and has served through forty years of tourist traffic.

As a boy, Alfred worked in the powder yard of his family’s gunpowder business. As a young adult, Alfred was running that business, and he invented machinery to accomplish things in a more efficient manner. His hands on training gave him a clear understanding of the processes required to run the mill. His education and skills gave him the ability to mechanize those processes. This passion for mechanics is also apparent in his home. Alfred designed machinery to produce ice, an apparatus for carbonating and bottling water from the springs on the estate, and many other devices. The electricity for the home was provided by a diesel fueled generator. In the furnace room you will also find two large hot water heaters. Alfred was prepared for mechanical problems; if something broke down he had a back up. Alfred’s mechanical spaces are also immaculate; the boiler room is cleaner than the average kitchen. For guests that appreciate ingenuity, there are a lot of interesting things at Nemours. 

Indoor photography is not permitted, but on the balcony and when touring the gardens you may take photos for personal use. From Mrs. DuPont’s suite you can step out onto the balcony and enjoy sweeping views. This photo overlooks the Southern Gardens. The Parterre or Boxwood Garden is the first of three garden rooms that compose the Southern Gardens. 

The servants’ wing is also visible from the balcony.

The conservatory is an interior space, so I was unable to photograph the walls covered in trelliage; however, the treatment was continued on this exterior wall.

Our docent pointed out that the fresh arrangements are created using floral and plant material gathered from the gardens. The hall was graced with a single Magnolia grandiflora bloom that sumptuously perfumed the room. This photo was taken of the magnificent tree from which the bloom had been cut.

When you step out of the mansion’s main entrance and descending into the gardens, you are walking through a series of garden “rooms”. First you see the Vista and the Reflecting Pool at the bottom of the stairs. Beyond the Reflecting Pool you catch a glimpse of the gilded statue, which stands at the center of the Maze Garden. The Colonnade creates a background for the scene. 

The Vista is also known as the Long Walk, each of the urns that line the Long Walk contains a small fountain.

The rowboat that floats in the Reflecting Pool is a reproduction of the 15-foot Whitehall that Mr. DuPont kept there. The Reflecting Pool holds 800,000 gallons of water. The fountain in the center is composed of 157 jets arranged in a 40-foot diameter. 

The Colonnade, built as a memorial to Pierre Samuel DuPont de Nemours and his son Eleuthere Irenee DuPont. The pair of red marble urns are from one of the many palaces of the Austro-Hungarian emperor Franz-Joseph.

After passing through the Colonnade you arrive at the Sunken Garden. The view looking down upon the Sunken Garden, and across the lake to the Temple of Love. The temple is a reference to the gardens of Le Petit Trianon, which also culminate in a small, round temple style garden folly.

The Mansion was closed for a three year period. During that time curators, conservators, and craftsmen were busy with a number of projects. Electric wiring was upgraded; sprinkler systems and climate control were installed. Paint colors were returned to their original brighter colors; window treatments and some of the carpets were reproduced. Fortunately many of the original oriental carpets are still intact and on display throughout the mansion. In the gardens, landscape material has been pruned, removed or replaced to restore them to their original grandeur. 

With the majority of the restoration work completed Nemours literally sparkles as brightly as gold. One of the projects restored the statue “Achievement” by Henri Crenier. Paint has been removed and 23 karat gold leaf applied to restore it to the original splendor.

Restoration work continues, but the mansion and gardens will remain open during the completion of the remaining projects. The greenhouse is slated for repair in the coming year and other out buildings will also receive attention in the future. One of the stipulations in the will of Alfred I. DuPont was that his trustees maintain and preserve Nemours Mansion and Gardens “for the pleasure and benefit of the public”.