03/02: Vizcaya
Category: General
Posted by: The Agnew Family
Vizcaya was built as the winter estate of Chicago businessman James Deering (1859-1925). Built in two years (1914-1916) the Main House was meant to look old as if a family had lived in it for centuries. The house contains antique artworks and furnishings collected in Europe and the US along with items specifically created for Vizcaya. It also features innovative technologies and modern conveniences of the early 1900s.
The house was designed with the front of the house facing Biscayne Bay as the early visitors to the house arrived by water.
The interior rooms are built around an open courtyard. In order to protect the interior of the house from the harsh Miami weather a glass roof was built over the courtyard and an air conditioning has been added.
Every room has an unique style. This is the library. The portrait is of James Deering.
The music room.
Each bedroom as given a name by Paul Chalfin the artistic director for the project.
The main dining room is on the first floor, a breakfast room is on the second floor and surprisingly the kitchen is on the second floor. Serving rooms are found outside both dining rooms. A dumb waiter is used to move the food between floors.
The transom in the door way between the courtyard and the enclosed loggia was intricate and lined up behind it is the stain glass window in the loggia looking out into the garden.
Part of the pool was under the living room.
Orchids and roses were James Deering's favourite flowers. Unfortunately, the area set aside for orchids was too sunny and too dry so alternative plants were used. Today, an area east of the house which is protected by trees has been made into an orchid garden.
Pink orchids, orange orchids, red orchids, white orchids, etc. are in bloom.
There are several gardens, including a formal garden, a theater garden, maze garden and a fountain garden.
Looking across the front section of the formal garden.
The last section in the formal garden is a mound. At the back of the mound is a building whose actual purpose is unknown. When it was built it would have overlooked the "lagoon gardens", but the lagoon and it's gardens are long gone. The building, though, is beautiful.
There is a enclosed room at each end of the building with open area between.
The house was designed with the front of the house facing Biscayne Bay as the early visitors to the house arrived by water.
The interior rooms are built around an open courtyard. In order to protect the interior of the house from the harsh Miami weather a glass roof was built over the courtyard and an air conditioning has been added.
Every room has an unique style. This is the library. The portrait is of James Deering.
The music room.
Each bedroom as given a name by Paul Chalfin the artistic director for the project.
The main dining room is on the first floor, a breakfast room is on the second floor and surprisingly the kitchen is on the second floor. Serving rooms are found outside both dining rooms. A dumb waiter is used to move the food between floors.
The transom in the door way between the courtyard and the enclosed loggia was intricate and lined up behind it is the stain glass window in the loggia looking out into the garden.
Part of the pool was under the living room.
Orchids and roses were James Deering's favourite flowers. Unfortunately, the area set aside for orchids was too sunny and too dry so alternative plants were used. Today, an area east of the house which is protected by trees has been made into an orchid garden.
Pink orchids, orange orchids, red orchids, white orchids, etc. are in bloom.
There are several gardens, including a formal garden, a theater garden, maze garden and a fountain garden.
Looking across the front section of the formal garden.
The last section in the formal garden is a mound. At the back of the mound is a building whose actual purpose is unknown. When it was built it would have overlooked the "lagoon gardens", but the lagoon and it's gardens are long gone. The building, though, is beautiful.
There is a enclosed room at each end of the building with open area between.