Tania Sinel: NEW AND IMPROVED: SOUTHERN CHARM CHARLESTON!!

I had announced that the next post was going to be a Giveaway. Instead, the information about the Giveaway will be announced this May – in conjunction with the Royal Wedding, hint hint.

Photography by Patrick Brickman

A NOTE:

Since originally writing the blog story last year about Bravo’s Southern Charm’s Patricia Altschul’s house - the magazine “Charleston Home + Design” approached me and was kind enough to offer me access to the magazine’s collection of the Altschul house photographs, and in full resolution!

This is such a thrilling thing for a blogger. We are usually dealing with poorly screencapped images, or old and blurry photographs uploaded to the internet years ago, or - the worst – badly scanned images.

So, to be given access to professionally photographed images and in full resolution, it is like eating an entire box of Godiva Chocolates and not gaining an ounce!

And since blog stories live on the internet forever, I wanted to update and rework this story using the full resolution images, so that it will be as beautiful as possible.

A huge thank you to the publisher of Charleston Home + Design, Timothy A. Barkley, who has proved to be a real mensch, and to the two photographers, Patrick Brickman and Colin Grey Voigt who both are credited for the original photos in Charleston Home + Design.

Finally, if you are interested in purchasing a copy of their original Patricia Altschul issue and/or the Thomas Ravenel issue, go to www.charlestonhomeanddesign.com.

In addition to these new photos, there are also many “new” photos from when the Isaac Jenkins Mikell House was the Charleston Main Library during the 1930s to 1960. And, additionally there are other new photos from other sources.

So, if you are intrigued by Patricia Altschul’s house or are a fan of Bravo’s Southern Charm, and even if you read the original blog story – you may want to revisit it today to see all the many, new images. I have also included a floorplan.

It’s that time again! Bravo’s hit show – “Southern Charm” will start its fifth season this April. Southern Charm continues to be one of their most watched reality shows. Who can resist? Besides the beautiful cast, the houses that some of its stars live in are so gorgeous, it’s hard to change the channel.

Photography by Patrick Brickman

A few years ago I wrote a two part story about the prettiest of the Southern Charm houses, including Patricia Altschul’s house, shown above. She had moved to Charleston after she was widowed and brought Mario Buatta along with her to decorate her newly bought house. Since I wrote that story, Architectural Digest featured her house and after that, Charleston Home + Design magazine put Patricia on their cover.

This wasn’t the first time a home of Patricia’s had been featured in Architectural Digest, it’s her third go-round! Before moving to Charleston, she had lived in a Fifth Avenue apartment, once occupied by Sister Parish, and a 30 room country estate on Oyster Bay named Southerly, both designed by Mario Buatta – and both showcased in AD and in Mario’s book.

Patricia’s Charleston house is just as beautiful as all her previous houses, if not more so. It is a dreamy confection of English fabrics and French antiques and fine art – and I can’t get enough of it, which is one of the main reasons I tune in to watch “Southern Charm.”

Becoming a Reality-TV star in your golden years was, I’m sure, never a goal of Patricia’s. Her only child, son Whitney Sudler-Smith, is the producer and developer of Bravo’s “Southern Charm.” When he started the show, he asked his mother if she would like to guest on it – maybe five minutes here and there. Thanks to her sharp wit and willingness to be brutally honest, Patricia became the break-out star of “Southern Charm” and she even released her first book – a primer on Southern manners and mannerisms.

“The Art of Southern Charm” – click on the photo to order her book.

I was surprised to read “The Art of Southern Charm” and learn that Patricia is much more than just a martini drinking widow that she pretends to be on the show. She has a masters in Art History and Archeology(!) from George Washington University where she had graduated cum laude, quite a feat at GW, which is a very highly rated school. After graduation, she worked as a college professor, lecturing on Art History. Later she began her own company, buying art collections for wealthy clients, one of whom became her late husband.

Altschul’s book is filled with stories of her life, her parents, her son and her husbands (3). If you are a fan, you will enjoy her book. I did.

When Patricia and Arthur Altschul married, they had several homes in New York. After Mr. Altschul passed away, Patricia drove around, with her infamous butler Michael in tow, looking for a southern town to land in. Charleston proved to be it. It all sounds so simple now, but the hunt for the perfect town and house took her three years.

The story about her Charleston house is most interesting because Buatta used her furniture from her other two New York houses – recovering and repurposing everything. It all looks so fresh in her Charleston home. Even the Zuber wallpaper in the dining room came from her country estate – it was pulled off the walls and reinstalled in Charleston. I admit I’m a bit obsessed with her house. I can’t help it!!

The Roman Revival house built in 1851 is known in Charleston as the Isaac Jenkins Mikell House after the cotton planter who built it for his 3rd out of four wives. Mikell was quite prolific – fathering sixteen children.

The earliest view of the Mikell House in the 1850s.

There seems to be a one story wing on the right side of the house – today that wing is two stories and another wing was added on to it.

The house was the town’s main library from 1936 until 1960 when the building was scheduled to be razed. Luckily, it was sold and restored by a couple who then sold it to the Historic Charleston Foundation, who later sold it yet again. When Patricia bought the almost 10,000 sq ft house, some of its 10 bedrooms were being used for apartments.

As the library, above, the landscaping was not looked after carefully. To the very right of the photo is a pond, no longer there today.

Another early view. To the right is the wing that houses the library, dining room, and butler’s pantry.

Here, is a later addition, the kitchen wing, to the extreme right of the main house and its earlier constructed wing. Today, through that door with the fan light – is the garden sitting room. At some point, shutters were added to this wing, too. Trees and shrubs have grown so large that now it’s hard to see this wing through the greenery.

From 1936 through 1960, while the house was used as Charleston’s library – the mobile library was quite busy.

A rare photo showing the arched wood basement doors – these are covered by landscaping now.

Here is the aerial view of the Mikell house’s corner lot which is hidden behind a stucco wall on one side and an iron fence on the other side. You can see the main house, and its right wing with the green shutters, where the dining room & library are located. The second addition, with the lower roof, is where the kitchen is. This kitchen wing is hidden behind the trees and shrubs. The front door to the house is located on the side street, at the left side of the main house. At the very right, across the driveway, is the old carriage house with its red tiled roof.

After its stint as the library, the landscaping was designed. A later owner painted the columns and today, the shutters are green. I like the shutters painted the same color as the stucco as shown here.

BEFORE: An early owner painted the base of the columns red and the tops brown – if you can believe it! Patricia has kept the shutters green but she restored the columns to their original color.

TODAY: Inside the house, a large double drawing room opens onto the piazza. Above, the master bedroom suite and guest suite open onto a balcony that overlooks the front lawn with its koi pond and swimming pool. Patricia planted potted lemon trees on the piazza.

Photography by Patrick Brickman

The view towards the opposite direction. The porch is such an important aspect of the house.

The koi pond sits in front of the piazza. The pool is to the right of the piazza.

Photography by Patrick Brickman

Close up of the shutters. During Hurricanes, Patricia doesn’t have to evacuate. She just closes her shutters and “hunkers down” as we say in the south! The house has stood since 1853, unharmed, through all those many hurricanes and storms.

Photography by Patrick Brickman.

A close up of the famous rams head carvings.

Photography by Patrick Brickman

The front yard with its pool. To the right of the piazza is the wing where the dining room and library are.

Photography by Patrick Brickman.

This view overlooks the main street at the front of the house. You can really see the surrounding stucco wall here – it is an important element, creating a sense of privacy and quiet. Such a pretty photograph!

A rare closeup of the right wing and further – the kitchen wing. The doors of the dining room and butler’s pantry open onto this porch.

A photograph from the 1940s during the main library days. A rare view of the kitchen wing, without all the shrubbery hiding it. With the green shutters, here, it looks like an Italian mansion.

Photography by Patrick Brickman.

This gate is on the side street that leads to the front door. You can barely see the house through the centuries old trees.

Photography by Patrick Brickman

Since Patricia Altschul moved in, screens have been added to the iron gates to give privacy to the estate. Today, horse drawn carriages lead tourists past this now well-known house.

Photography by Patrick Brickman

The beautiful front door, now painted black. Notice the French styled lanterns. This is not original to the house.

Earlier, the door was painted white. This iron lantern is probably original to the house.

Strange photo – during the Charleston Main Library years – there were screen doors placed on all the French doors and the front door, seen here.

And here – it looks like the fan light was pushed back into the foyer hall. It’s hard to understand exactly where that fan light was – was it at the front door or in the foyer?

Patricia Altschul greets you at the front door. She is usually wearing a caftan and at 5:00 pm, her butler Michael presents her with his perfect martini.

I drew up this floor plan to make it a little easier to understand.

This is how the house looks now, but there have been many changes through the years. Before – the Drawing Room on the left was open to the Foyer hall – today there is a wall there. And the Foyer hall was open from the front door to the Dining Room via a door from the Stairhall that was closed off at some earlier time.

Photography by Patrick Brickman.

This new photo shows the foyer’s console with mirror and sconces holding porcelain. Notice the walls are painted to look like stone. Across from the console, unseen, is a French door.

I found this photo on Instagram – from a photoshoot. But this photo is the only one I’ve ever seen that shows the French door that leads into the foyer.

Past the front foyer and into the front hall. Mario Buatta painted the wood floors to brighten up the dark space. To the left is the morning room. The staircase is past the arches.

NOW – from new photos from the Library years, this wall to the right was once open to the Drawing Room! AND, the back wall in the staircase hall once had a door leading to the back of the house!!

NOTE: All photographs of the house with the Architectural Digest mark are by Scott Frances.

Photography by Patrick Brickman.

Looking the opposite direction towards the front door. I love this view that shows the front foyer’s painted floor. This view hasn’t been seen before. Buatta chose a round design to offset the square shape of the tiny foyer.

And the petite console shown here matches the one on the other side of this cased opening.

Looking straight out at the oriental antique chest in the foyer next to two French chairs, covered in velvet. The walls in the foyer, staircase, and landing have been marbleized, while the wood floors were painted.

This is the wall that was once opened to the Drawing Room.

BEFORE: The front lobby before the floor was painted. To the right is the Morning Room. As seen here, originally, there were columns and a large opening to the Morning Room. Patricia removed the columns.

And here is an even EARLIER photo:

WOW!! From the 1930s when the house was turned into the Charleston Main Library. You can see the foyer with a different, arched front door and the two arches that lead to the front hall. AND, here you can see that the wall between the drawing room and the front hall is OPEN. Somewhere along the way, this opening to the drawing room closed. On the other side of the front hall is the Morning Room. Also, notice all the light fixtures. Additionally – notice that they installed screen doors outside all the French doors.

Question: Do you think there was originally a wall there and when the library came, they opened the drawing room to make it roomier? Later when the library moved and the house became a home again, the wall was closed off?

OR, did the original plans call for the Drawing Room to be open to the Front Hall?

The Morning Room. This is where Patricia makes calls on the “house phone.” The floor is covered in seagrass and the walls are wallpapered in a stripe.

Photography by Patrick Brickman.

In this photo, you can see that the room is actually very narrow and cozy. The high ceilings keep the Morning Room from seeming small.

And from the 1940s – the library era. Here is the Morning Room back then. The mantel is an arched white marble whereas today it is a black rectangular marble. These white mantels were found throughout the house. Today – some remain upstairs, but not in the main public rooms.

Hard to believe this room is now the pretty Morning Room!!

The Morning Room today. Collection of dog paintings hangs on the walls. This window overlooks the side street that leads to the front door.

Photography by Patrick Brickman.

A close up of the console with its Oriental carvings.

There are three bars set around the house.

In the morning room is her large collection of pug dogs.

A close up of the Morning Room curtains with their gilt cornice. These were originally at Southerly, in the living room.

Patricia on her “house phone” – making her morning calls. I love her hair – it’s so flattering!

And from the 1930’s – the staircase. What you can’t see here is there was a door at the right that led to the back of the house. Notice the risers were stained dark back then.

BEFORE: The staircase with its stained dark banister. I must say – I do love this antique light fixture. I would have kept it myself! And notice the risers have been painted white. I like that so much better than the stained risers. It is an absolutely beautiful staircase.

Photography by Patrick Brickman

In this view you can see the foyer at the left and the Morning Room entry, now, without the columns. I adore this painted floor. It is fabulous! On the wall of the stairs is the silhouette collection that Patricia and two of her husbands collected with her. The banister was painted white by Buatta – which I love. Here you can see the antique light fixture that Patricia installed here.

NOTE: The light fixture. I wonder if this came from an original outdoor fixture? It’s similar to fixtures on the facade of the house.

That light fixture is similar in feel to this one that was once at the front door. I do think that the previous owner took all the hanging light fixtures with them when they sold the house.

And here, you can see roundabout in dark pink. Across from the stairs is the entrance to the double drawing room.

Interesting note. The photographer Patrick Brickman told me that he went to great pains to take his photograph of the stairs from a different angle than the Architectural Digest image. The AD magazine had come out before Charleston Home + Design and a photographer can’t take an identical photo. In fact, I love the Brickman photo – I love how you can see into the front hall from his photo. And I love how Charleston Home + Design was able to take so many more photos than Architectural Digest. The number of small vignettes is wonderful and adds so much towards understanding how the house truly looks.

Photography by Patrick Brickman

The view looking down at the stairs. This is such a beautiful space. The windows overlook the back side of the house. The one thing I’m not crazy about in the house is the runner, but that’s personal. I love how you can see the roundabout on the first floor.

Photography from Charleston Home + Design

Close up of the fabulous antique silhouette collection. Mrs. Altschul owns one of George Washington and Robert E. Lee!!!

The only silhouette of George Washington that he sat for! Amazing!!!!

BEFORE: Looking down from the stairs into the drawing room on the right and the dining room on the left. Through the right arch is the front hall and foyer.

And from the 1930s – the Main Library. This is the view from the front drawing room into the second drawing room, that was once the dining room. You can see the screened doors – needed in the days before air conditioning.

And this view from the front drawing room into the second drawing room. The fancy molding that is today on the trim of the opening is not there. That must have been added at a later date.

And here is how I discovered that a doorway was once in the stairhall. I circled it in red for you to see. I have always wondered why the main hallway stopped at the stairway, making you walk around into the drawing rooms to reach the library and dining room. Here is proof that the hallway once went from the front door through to the dining room.

BEFORE: The double drawing room was actually designed to be a living room and dining room.

And Today: The Double Drawing Room is the highlight of this fabulous house. The furniture is a combination of Patricia’s Fifth Avenue living room and Southerly’s living room. Cream sofas combined with Lee Jofa chintz arm chairs. Southerly’s one large rug was cut into two to fit these rooms. I think the wall color is stunning – I wonder whose it is – is it custom? It truly makes the room. The Buatta décor is classic and timeless. These two rooms, together, are just gorgeous!!!!

Notice the trim between the two rooms. This is the trim that I think was added at a later date, after the library era.

One note: Using all French and English antiques can be stuffy but the genius of Mario Buatta is how he keeps rooms like this looking fresh and young! The window shades are a perfect example of a bit of folly. And the color of the chintz, with touches of peachy pink adds to the freshness. This room looks timeless – as if its owner is a 30 year old with great taste or an older person who has spent a lifetime collecting. Either way – I love this room!!!

Photography by Patrick Brickman

The large drawing room with the corner cream sofa. Both rooms have fireplaces with matching mirrors that face each other at opposite ends of the rooms. On the mantel, an antique French clock. I do miss the chandeliers, but that’s personal – I love crystal chandeliers.

Another photograph by Patrick Brickman shows the table next to the fireplace with antique accessories. Darling miniature French chair.

A cropped closeup of the mantel clock. Mrs. Altschul has an incredible collection of antique mantel clocks that grace all the fireplaces throughout the house.

The other side of the larger drawing room.

Photography by Patrick Brickman

And Patricia, sitting in the larger drawing room, wearing one of her animal caftans, which she now sells. Want a caftan - send in a photo of your pet and it is printed on the fabric.

Those sconces are gorgeous!

In the drawing room, Michael serves Patricia her daily, 5:00 pm martini. She says he makes the perfect martini.

I love the area between the two rooms where this console always has a beautiful flower arrangement.

And yet one more floral design. Patricia is good friends with another newer Charleston citizen, Carolyne Roehm who is also a lover of flowers.

Across from the drawing room is the second foyer that opens to the right wing. The library is off this second foyer. Here, the walls look almost magenta, but they are a true red.

Photography by Patrick Brickman

A late afternoon view of the library with the fireplace going. There are quite a few books and now knowing Patricia’s academic history, it makes perfect sense that she would have a large library.

Bar #2 is set up here in the library. After-dinner drinks and cigars are served here. It’s unusual to allow smoking inside these days, but Patricia does in this room.

Close up of the bar with after dinner liquors and brandies and cigars.

And you can see here the painted floor from the second foyer that leads to the library. Next to the library is the dining room. Originally, the red library was where the kitchen was, but Patricia reconfigured this part of the house and moved the kitchen to the second wing.

BEFORE: An owner after the library was closed, built this kitchen. Hard to believe this is now the library. What I can’t figure out is the mantel. This mantel is now in the dining room and the mantel that was in the dining room is now in the library for some odd reason.

BEFORE: Here is the dining room before Patricia bought the house. This mantel is now in the library/kitchen and that mantel is now here in the dining room. The walls are adorned with Zuber wallpaper. Through the door, you can see what is today the butler’s pantry – which was once a sitting room. Patricia moved the kitchen from this area to the wing off the butler’s pantry. AND, to the right of the fireplace is a faux window. I think this is where the new elevator was added.

Photography by Patrick Brickman

Wow! What a surprise this photograph is! This is the hall that links the main house to the newer wings. Beautiful wall clock and lantern. The door on the right leads out to the front of the house. At the end of the hall is the dining room, then the butler’s pantry, then the new kitchen.

To the left, unseen, is the red library.

Beautiful enfilade – never seen before today! Thanks, Patrick!

This door at the right of the piazza is the door that leads to the back hall above.

Next to the library is the dining room. This room was first designed in Southerly and Buatta reused all the elements here in Charleston, although the curtains actually came from Patricia’s former Fifth Avenue apartment. The Zuber paper is gorgeous – it was taken off the walls in Southerly and rehung here. These ceilings are higher though, so to stretch the wallpaper, Buatta added a trim piece and then painted sky blue above it to mimic the sky in the wallpaper. Very smart, Mario!!! The room has four windows – two on each side. These two windows face the front yard and open to the balcony. The textured rug tones it all down – instead of being too dressy, the room looks warm and welcoming. Another fabulous room, IMO. I love this house!!!

Through this door you can see the second foyer that leads to the front of the house.

Photography by Patrick Brickman

The view towards the other direction which faces the back of the house. This side has two windows, but one is faux, it is actually a door. Instead of panes there are mirrors.

The previous owner installed an elevator in the house and I’m thinking that “window” with the mirrors is the elevator.

Photography by Patrick Brickman.

Here is a closeup of the back windows. The right one – is that the elevator?

Photography by Patrick Brickman.

Cropped closeup of this fabulous mantel clock!!! A harlequin holding a locket. Another clock above is in a sunburst frame.

BEFORE AT SOUTHERLY: Here is the Zuber wallpaper in the dining room at Southerly – you can see the ceiling is not as high as the Charleston house. At Charleston, Buatta cleverly added the trim piece, then painted above it to make the paper “fit.” Remember, Jackie Kennedy also painted above her own antique Zuber paper to make it fit the White House Diplomatic Room.

Patricia in her dining room.

Her blue and white corralled for a dinner party.

A photo from the 1930s during the Main Library era – this was the Children’s Reading Room which I believe is the dining room today. Through the doorway is the Butler’s Pantry and down the stairs is the kitchen, today.

The Children’s Reading Room during the 1950s. The French doors are open to the front balcony on the Wing.

If you were born in the early 50’s like I was – these Library photos will seem very familiar to you, like they do to me. If this was Houston instead of Charleston, I would be looking for people I knew in these photos!

And…remember the days, before Kindle, when we all went to the library?

BEFORE: The Butler’s Pantry was once a sitting room with stairs that lead up to the second floor in the right wing. Patricia closed off this small door and added built ins on each wall to hold her extensive plate collection. Through that door that was closed off – is a short set of steps that once led down to the breakfast room.

TODAY: The butler’s pantry connects to the new kitchen in the far right wing. The pantry is a large bar/staging area. The kitchen is past the doggie gate at the very right.

Another view of the Butler’s Pantry – with Cameran, one of the stars of “Southern Charm.”

Michael preparing for a dinner party. The French doors lead out to the front balcony and yard.

I would love to look through these cabinets!!! She has an amazing collection of dinnerware. Notice the white lettuce centerpiece on this island!! WOW!!!!

Photography by Patrick Brickman.

The kitchen was newly built by Mrs. Altschul. That’s hard to believe because it looks original to the house. The fireplace is a wonderful in the kitchen. Also, note that there are TWO farm sinks, which must be heaven!

The kitchen is where most of the dogs stay. It’s also where Michael rules the roost. The island’s top is made of copper, as is the stove’s hood. Love the ceiling. The back door opens to the driveway and the carriage house aka old kitchen building aka slave quarters.

The kitchen’s fireplace is surrounded by blue and white tiles. To the left is the door that leads to the breakfast room and sitting room.

Another view of the kitchen – when it’s not styled for a photoshoot. I love how this is a brand new kitchen, but it looks decades old. Amazing! The cabinet doors under the sinks add to the charm, as do all the sconces around the room. I also love how low the sconces were hung.

Out the side door in the kitchen is the courtyard, at the end of the driveway. Across the courtyard is the former kitchen – probably in what was once the slave quarters. Not sure if there was another building that was destroyed. There might have been a slave quarters and a kitchen building that looked alike, which causes the confusion. I’m not sure – I’ve tried to research, but this is all I could find.

The Main Library years – you can see the old Slave Quarters behind what is now the kitchen wing, to the left.

Today, past the stucco wall is the driveway and the former slave quarters/original kitchen, now restored and turned into guest quarters. A fireplace was added to the front facade and a side door and windows were also added.

Before Mrs. Altschul bought the house – this is how the former slave quarters/kitchen looked. There is a new door/window and fireplace.

And another view showing the brick/stucco walls, fireplace and new windows. Notice the beams. What a great guest house/apartment. I wonder if this is where Michael lives? If so, he has a very charming house.

A new surprise for me was this photo from the Library days. At the left is the main house – where the new kitchen and breakfast room are. Notice the arched door at the left – that is where the Garden Room is today. Before it was the Garden Room, it was a one car garage.

Here is the old garage, with its arched doors. Notice the walls are made of brick. After the Main Library moved out, this was renovated to become a part of the house.

Today, that arched garage door is gone and replaced with this arched window/doors. The former garage is now the Garden Room. This photo was taken before Mrs. Altschul bought the house.

BEFORE: The Garden Room was once the one car garage. Notice the brick walls.

BEFORE: The other side of the Garden Room shows the stairs leading upstairs and the open door at the left that leads to the kitchen. Later, Mrs. Altschul renovated this area and the entire wall behind the stairs was removed – opening up the Garden Room to the Breakfast Room.

Photograph from Charleston Home + Design.

TODAY: The Garden Room looks completely different, painted white and bright with the mirrors removed. Much of this furniture came from Southerly’s sitting room. Past these stairs is the breakfast room.

Patricia and Whitney share appetizers. Up towards the left is the kitchen, where Michael is headed. Behind the stairs is the breakfast room.

The breakfast room, behind the kitchen, has its own brick fireplace. These back stairs lead up to the butler’s pantry – where the door was closed off. Notice Patricia’s lettuce centerpiece. To die for!!!

Photography by Patrick Brickman.

A new photo that shows the breakfast room from a different angle. Here you can see how the wall behind the staircase was opened up to the Garden Room.

The Garden Room at Southerly: Buatta was able to reuse much of this furniture in Charleston.

UPSTAIRS

BEFORE: One of the few images of the stairhall landing. To the right are the guest bedrooms. The two main bedrooms are in the space above the two drawing rooms.

BEFORE: Looking the opposite direction.

Photography by Patrick Brickman

TODAY: Here you can see how Patricia utilized the arched trim work upstairs. To create some architectural interest, she added a faux mirrored French door. No photograph shows the sitting area on the landing – to the right. All we can see is a velvet chair with fringe!!

Photography by Patrick Brickman

The hall is very long and Mrs. Altschul decorated it with wallpaper, consoles and further down – bookcases. I love those sconces!

Photography by Patrick Brickman

Bookcases break up the long expanse of hall.

BEFORE: In the main house, above the double drawing rooms are two bedroom suites. First is the guest room.

Photography by Patrick Brickman.

A peek into the main guest room – overlooking the main piazza.

\The guest room. This furniture was moved from New York – where it was Patricia’s master bedroom furniture. The room leads out to the front balcony. Just beautiful.

Above the desk is a needlework from Jackie Kennedy that was once in the White House.

The view into the guest room from the landing. The wood floors are painted white.

Patricia calls this the Dog Room because of the paintings. Notice the ceiling is pink. Photograph by Charleston Magazine.

FIFTH AVENUE: Here is the same furniture, as it was in Patricia’s Fifth Avenue apartment. Buatta was able to reuse it all!

Photography by Patrick Brickman

The upstairs balcony that both the main guest room and the master bedroom both lead out to. The view must be wonderful from this balcony.

BEFORE: Over the larger side of the double drawing room is the master suite, shown as it was, before.

From the stair landing – you reach Patricia’s bedroom.

TODAY: Patricia’s master bedroom is a copy of her Southerly bedroom – the same furniture and fabric was used, just refreshed. The bedroom opens up to the front balcony. The room sits on top of the double drawing room. I have to say this is such a pretty bedroom – a classic and one of Mario’s best rooms!!! I had been a fan of the Southerly bedroom for years before I ever heard of its owners. I bet you were too.

This is an antique dog bed! Adorable!

Photography by Patrick Brickman

Another view of the beautiful blue and white bedroom. I love how she painted the floor white. Much better than a white carpet – but visually, just as effective. Across from the bed is a fireplace.

From Instagram – Mrs. Altschul recently thanked Mario Buatta for designing her beautiful bedroom. Yes!!! It is so pretty!!!!

While packing for a trip to NYC, you can see the landing at the right door, with the crystal chandelier from the Fifth Avenue apartment. Through the left door is the bathroom.

BEFORE: The master bedroom. Through the left door is the bathroom. Through the right down is the stair landing.

BEFORE: The master bathroom. Patricia removed the cabinetry and cleared out the room to completely renovate it for her bathroom. This tub was reused in the guest bathroom. The mantel stayed put, although the stone surround was changed.

Originally, when the house was built - this was another bedroom.

TODAY: The bathroom with its cabinet where the heated toilet is concealed. The floor is painted here again. A fireplace in the bathroom!! Is this the prettiest bathroom, ever? The walls are mirrored strips. Love!

What I would give for this bathroom! That mirror!!!

SOUTHERLY: Patricia’s bedroom on Oyster Bay. The main difference is there is no canopy here!

Here are the Architectural Digest photographs from Patricia’s Southerly and Fifth Avenue living rooms so you can see how Mario Buatta used her previous decor:

Southerly: The same rug was used, as were the sofas and chintz chairs. The ottoman was also reused, as was this French checked chair.

Even though this is so pretty, I have to say the drawing rooms at Charleston are my favorite. The tall ceilings, the windows and the wall color just makes it so special.

Southerly: The other side of the room. This was all reused in Charleston. The curtains were put in the Morning Room.

Fifth Avenue. The cream sofas were used in Charleston. The curtains were reused in Charleston’s dining room. This red desk was also used. The crystal chandelier is now on the second floor landing, right outside Patricia’s bedroom suite.

Another view of this apartment which was once Sister Parish’s. The velvet chairs, tables, lamps, stools – were all reused in Charleston, thanks to Mario Buatta.

This room is just incredible – three photos in AD! The mirror above the fireplace ended up in the Charleston library. The screen? I don’t think that was reused. In Charleston, the antique oval mirror is in the second foyer, outside the dining room. But that desk!!! Gorgeous!!!