Restored Residence in Portugal

<span id="_ctl0_cphBody_m_lDescription">Good morning to all of you my lovely readers.<br />This beautiful country home, Monte São Domingos, was previously an historic nunnery and Alto Real horse farm located in the olive and wine region in the Alentejo, in Elvas, Portugal. Monte São Domingos sits on a hilltop with 360 degree views, including lake Caia, and was renovated over the last 5 years. Restored with original handmade tile floors, antique marble sinks, sculpted by hand baths 100 plus year old roof tiles and hand forged iron and glass doorways gives the feeling that the farm has been untouched by time. At the same time the house is technically modern with radiant floor heating, solar panel water heat, and fully equipped kitchen.</span><span id="_ctl0_cphBody_PropertyBasicInfo_m_lGeographyAddress" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><span id="_ctl0_cphBody_PropertyBasicInfo_m_lGeographyAddress" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><img alt="626A Treasure in Alentejo" border="0" id="m_iImage" src="http://media.sothebysrealty.com/SIRImages/d275c8ce-9257-4f4e-b3ba-d7b398c7b9c9_PMAS.jpg" style="width: 650px; height: 433px;" /><br /><br /><img alt="626A Treasure in Alentejo" border="0" id="m_iImage" src="http://media.sothebysrealty.com/SIRImages/16fd919e-a976-45e3-be2c-cbca6b6124a3_PMAS.jpg" style="width: 650px; height: 433px;" /><br /><span id="_ctl0_cphBody_m_lDescription"><br /></span><img alt="626A Treasure in Alentejo" border="0" id="m_iImage" src="http://media.sothebysrealty.com/SIRImages/b77e3d6b-34ef-4e48-a57b-a41707c44e15_PMAS.jpg" /><br /><br /><img alt="626A Treasure in Alentejo" border="0" id="m_iImage" src="http://media.sothebysrealty.com/SIRImages/4b370efc-c300-4dd5-99aa-e31a2e92f3cd_PMAS.jpg" style="width: 650px; height: 487px;" /><br /><br /><img alt="626A Treasure in Alentejo" border="0" id="m_iImage" src="http://media.sothebysrealty.com/SIRImages/f922018a-ec0c-43e0-8579-c2ffb8ad1f26_PMAS.jpg" /><br /><br /><img alt="626A Treasure in Alentejo" border="0" id="m_iImage" src="http://media.sothebysrealty.com/SIRImages/1669b520-eebb-4984-ab9d-bf22a36f3b4d_PMAS.jpg" style="width: 650px; height: 433px;" /><br /><br /><img alt="626A Treasure in Alentejo" border="0" id="m_iImage" src="http://media.sothebysrealty.com/SIRImages/96155acd-9f20-473b-a9ed-1016c68d6774_PMAS.jpg" /><br /><br /><img alt="626A Treasure in Alentejo" border="0" id="m_iImage" src="http://media.sothebysrealty.com/SIRImages/81f04370-82a5-49cf-9d06-9cbc4aa01cf4_PMAS.jpg" /><br /><br /><img alt="626A Treasure in Alentejo" border="0" id="m_iImage" src="http://media.sothebysrealty.com/SIRImages/bd812a5e-3291-4391-98d5-1c229ade3c1b_PMAS.jpg" /><br />An artist's dream atelier.<br /><br /><img alt="626A Treasure in Alentejo" border="0" id="m_iImage" src="http://media.sothebysrealty.com/SIRImages/2452577c-11a6-4f4b-b026-c0f8cd4d4318_PMAS.jpg" style="width: 650px; height: 433px;" /><br /><br /><img alt="626A Treasure in Alentejo" border="0" id="m_iImage" src="http://media.sothebysrealty.com/SIRImages/a87fe565-b2c3-4e19-aea2-8cfb417d8fea_PMAS.jpg" style="width: 650px; height: 434px;" /><br /><br /><img alt="626A Treasure in Alentejo" border="0" id="m_iImage" src="http://media.sothebysrealty.com/SIRImages/edcdddd3-aba9-4bb8-8092-f31a28b8d331_PMAS.jpg" style="width: 650px; height: 433px;" /><br /><br /><img alt="626A Treasure in Alentejo" border="0" id="m_iImage" src="http://media.sothebysrealty.com/SIRImages/7e3be35d-6a7b-459e-867b-c4e6d0e398b2_PMAS.jpg" style="width: 649px; height: 432px;" /><br /><br /><img alt="626A Treasure in Alentejo" border="0" id="m_iImage" src="http://media.sothebysrealty.com/SIRImages/3c9ea94c-4d79-4455-a5e4-b713c4b44eec_PMAS.jpg" style="width: 650px; height: 433px;" /><br /><br /><img alt="626A Treasure in Alentejo" border="0" id="m_iImage" src="http://media.sothebysrealty.com/SIRImages/bec190e1-eb0e-4395-a6e4-d3c6406060fc_PMAS.jpg" style="width: 651px; height: 488px;" /><br /><br /><img alt="626A Treasure in Alentejo" border="0" id="m_iImage" src="http://media.sothebysrealty.com/SIRImages/bc657b29-d418-4ee0-a820-9295b2b9d77f_PMAS.jpg" /><br /><br /><img alt="626A Treasure in Alentejo" border="0" id="m_iImage" src="http://media.sothebysrealty.com/SIRImages/d6786031-8071-4ca3-94f4-53588103c527_PMAS.jpg" /><br /><br /><img alt="626A Treasure in Alentejo" border="0" id="m_iImage" src="http://media.sothebysrealty.com/SIRImages/3dbd4fac-d365-49d4-8941-40b7b6b30491_PMAS.jpg" style="width: 650px; height: 433px;" /><br /><br />All images and information from <a href="http://www.sothebysrealty.com/en/PropertyDetails.aspx?R=4100010848&N=12+149+4294963293+4294967213&curr=USD&No=37&PSeq=32">here</a>.

Restored Residence in Portugal

Good morning to all of you my lovely readers. This beautiful country home, Monte São Domingos, was previously an historic nunnery and Alto R...

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Historic Greystone Estate

<p>Hello dear readers! I'm back from my trip to Paris which was wonderful. I'd like to thank my daughter and hubby (and my other kids who stayed behind and let me go) for such a lovely holiday.</p><p>I'd also like to thank all of you for your patience as I haven't posted for a whole week, but I'll make it up to you starting right now.</p><p>Veranda presented its third show house at the Greystone estate with 28 of the country's top designers who participated in the event to benefit restoration of the English-gothic revival 1920s manor in Beverly Hills.<br /></p><p>It has been seen on the silver screen many times: Jack Nicholson in its grand living room in <i>The Witches of Eastwick</i>; Jude Law and Cameron Diaz in the comedy <i>The Holiday</i>; and the house's bowling alley appeared in <i>There Will Be Blood</i>, starring Daniel Day-Lewis. Greystone played a role in <i>The Bodyguard, Death Becomes Her, What Women Want</i> and two of the <i>Spider-Man </i>movies. The mansion has also provided settings for Jerry Lewis 1964 comedy <i>The Disorderly Orderly, </i>television's <span style="font-style: italic;">Entourage</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">The Gilmore Girls</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">General Hospital</span> as well as for Elton John's music video <span style="font-style: italic;">I Want Love</span>, featuring Robert Downey Jr. <i></i></p><p>Greystone has also been a destination for many celebrated visitors. Bill Clinton enjoyed the mansion during a political fund-raiser hosted there by the director Steven Spielberg in 2000 and another in 1999, which featured the singer Andrea Bocelli. Barack Obama held a campaign fund-raiser there with singer Barbra Streisand, and veteran actor Kirk Douglas renewed his vows with Anne, his wife of half a century, on the grounds of the historic landmark. Actor James Woods, along with many others, tied the knot at the estate as well.</p> <p>Standing on a 429-acre estate this fifty-five room baronial castle is the largest family estate ever built in Beverly Hills, above Sunset Boulevard. It was a gift from oil tycoon Edward L. Doheny to his son and daughter-in-law. London-born American architect Gordon Kaufmann designed the mansion in the English-Gothic Revival style.</p> <p>Located at 905 Loma Vista Drive in Beverly Hills, the mansion is not open to the public, but visitors can tour the grounds.<br /></p> <p>Interior designers scoured Europe for eighteenth-century antiques, marble fireplaces and interior furnishings to fill many of the rooms and complement the outstanding features — high ceilings, parquet floors, stone archways and, in some cases, floor-to-ceiling leaded-glass windows. </p><p>Let's take the tour.<br /></p><br /><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/gs/estates-greystone-great-house-2-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -12.5px; left: -26px;" /><br />Indiana limestone for the facades and Welsh grey slate for the roof.<br /><br /><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/xy/estates-greystone-great-house-1-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -75px; left: 36.5px;" /><br />Italian-style allée with cypress trees.<br /><br /><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/ix/estates-greystone-great-house-3-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -12.5px; left: -26px;" /><br />Large reflecting pool.<br /><br /><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/nR/estates-greystone-great-house-4-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -12.5px; left: -26px;" /><br />A polished concrete table anchors the grand entry, and a pair of palms in 1950s slag pots flanks the doorway. Chinese chairs on one side of the pillars balance ferns in urns on the other side.<br /><br /><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/5t/estates-greystone-great-house-5-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -75px; left: 36.5px;" /><br />Black and white Carrara marble for the main hall's checkerboard flooring, arched doorways in hallway decorated by Jack Fhillips.<br /><br /><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/13/estates-greystone-great-house-6-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -75px; left: 36.5px;" /><br />Salle de Réception designed by Waldo Fernandez. Grand Palladian windows and polished marble floors.<br /><br /><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/cO/estates-greystone-great-house-7-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -12.5px; left: -26px;" /><br />A bold painting and a capricious cluster of sheep add elements of surprise to the Salle de Réception.<br /><br /><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/ZI/estates-greystone-great-house-8-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -12.5px; left: -26px;" /><br />Jack Fhillips' designed the Grand Ballroom.<br /><br /><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/LW/estates-greystone-great-house-9-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -75px; left: 36.5px; width: 499px; height: 665px;" /><br /><br /><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/da/estates-greystone-great-house-10-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -75px; left: 36.5px; width: 500px; height: 666px;" /><br />California designers Richard Hallberg and Barbara Wiseley decorated the Solarium.<br /><br /><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/G2/estates-greystone-great-house-11-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -75px; left: 36.5px; width: 500px; height: 666px;" /><br />An eighteenth-century faience lion presides over an antique French limestone console.<br /><br /><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/0Y/estates-greystone-great-house-12-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -75px; left: 36.5px;" /><br />Morning Room also designed by Richard Hallberg and Barbara Wiseley.<br /><br /><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/Fi/estates-greystone-great-house-13-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -12.5px; left: -26px;" /><br />Anchored by four polychromed cabinets, the room is reminiscent of a European breakfast room, set with eighteenth-century French porcelain, antique and new silver and gleaming crystal.<br /><br /><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/SJ/estates-greystone-great-house-14-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -75px; left: 36.5px;" /><br />Richard Shapiro decorated the Drawing Room with a mix of antique furnishings and museum-quality art, including an antique Italian torso. On opposing walls, a contemporary photograph counterbalances a hard-edge tondo.<br /><br /><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/FX/estates-greystone-great-house-15-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -12.5px; left: -26px;" /><br /><br /><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/vQ/estates-greystone-great-house-16-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -12.5px; left: -26px;" /><br />Greystone's Library decorated by Rose Tarlow and David Phoenix with antiques and overstuffed seating in a monochromatic palette.<br /><br /><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/yy/estates-greystone-great-house-17-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -75px; left: 36.5px;" /><br /><br /><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/4P/estates-greystone-great-house-18-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -12.5px; left: -26px;" /><br />The feminine Garden Retreat designed by Suzanne Rheinstein. Porcelain botanicals line the window that overlooks the rose garden. Garden books, a writing desk for sketching plantings and images of oversize roses by photographer Jim McHugh.<br /><br /><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/Z9/estates-greystone-great-house-19-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -75px; left: 36.5px;" /><br /><br /><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/rL/estates-greystone-great-house-20-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -12.5px; left: -26px;" /><br />Eclectic style Salon de Thé by Ames Ingham.<br /><br /><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/dX/estates-greystone-great-house-21-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -12.5px; left: -26px;" /><br />Salon d'Art designed by Katie Leede-McGloin.<br /><br /><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/tr/estates-greystone-great-house-24-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -12.5px; left: -26px;" /><br />A palette of blue and beige in the Family Room decorated by Nathan Turner.<br /><br /><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/BX/estates-greystone-great-house-25-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -75px; left: 36.5px;" /><br /><br /><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/uX/estates-greystone-great-house-26-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -12.5px; left: -26px;" /><br />Martyn Lawrence Bullard transforms what was once a gunroom into a Cabinet de Curiosité with treasures collected from the Grand Tour of Europe and the East.<br /><br /><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/AD/estates-greystone-great-house-27-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -75px; left: 36.5px;" /><br /><br /><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/Yo/estates-greystone-great-house-30-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -12.5px; left: -26px;" /><br />Designer James Lumsden decorated the Gentleman's Atelier.<br /><br /><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/H8/estates-greystone-great-house-32-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -12.5px; left: -26px;" /><br />Mary McDonald designed the Lady's Bedroom.<br /><p><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/gp/estates-greystone-great-house-33-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -75px; left: 36.5px;" /></p><p><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/Rm/estates-greystone-great-house-34-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -12.5px; left: -26px;" /><br /></p><p>The Guest Room was designed by Elizabeth Dinkel</p><p><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/2p/estates-greystone-great-house-35-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -75px; left: 36.5px;" /></p><p><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/6t/estates-greystone-great-house-38-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -75px; left: 36.5px;" /><br /></p><p>Master Bedroom by Windsor Smith.<br /></p><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/S1/estates-greystone-great-house-39-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -12.5px; left: -26px;" /><br /><br /><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/wb/estates-greystone-great-house-40-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -12.5px; left: -26px;" /><br /><br /><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/RR/estates-greystone-great-house-41-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -75px; left: 36.5px;" /><br />Hot pink in the Master Bath adjoining the Master Bedroom and Dressing Room.<br /><br /><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/5N/estates-greystone-great-house-42-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -12.5px; left: -26px;" /><br />Michelle Nussbaumer designed the Master Suite Hall.<br /><br /><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/0V/estates-greystone-great-house-44-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -12.5px; left: -26px;" /><br /><p>Kathryn Ireland's design of His Guest Room.<br /></p><p><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/vu/estates-greystone-great-house-45-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -75px; left: 36.5px;" /></p><p><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/H2/estates-greystone-great-house-46-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -12.5px; left: -26px;" /></p><p>Family Kitchen by the Veranda Editors.</p><p><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/8c/estates-greystone-great-house-47-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -75px; left: 36.5px;" /></p><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/nV/estates-greystone-great-house-48-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -12.5px; left: -26px;" /><p>Designer Ann Getty decorated the East Foyer.</p><p><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/81/estates-greystone-great-house-49-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -12.5px; left: -26px;" /></p><p>The Writing Room by designer Andrew Virtue Kravet.<br /></p><p><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/sC/estates-greystone-great-house-50-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -75px; left: 36.5px;" /><br /></p><p>The Petit Salon.</p> <img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/pa/estates-greystone-great-house-51-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -75px; left: 36.5px;" /><br />Tower Gallery by Tim Clarke.<br /><br /><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/WP/estates-greystone-great-house-52-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -12.5px; left: -26px;" /><br />The Recreation Wing by Tim Clarke.<br /><br /><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/H6/estates-greystone-great-house-54-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -12.5px; left: -26px;" /><br />The Guest Terrace designed by Joe Lucas and Parrish Chilcoat, its furnishings include iron seating, a zinc-top dining table and wicker dining chairs.<br /><p><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/8P/estates-greystone-great-house-55-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -75px; left: 36.5px;" /></p><p><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/DG/estates-greystone-great-house-57-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -75px; left: 36.5px;" /></p><p><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/GT/estates-greystone-great-house-59-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -75px; left: 36.5px;" /><br /></p><p>English boxwoods thrive in Phoenician Stone's Fontana di Campagnia, and dwarf Italian cypress trees stand tall in Authentic Provence's citrus boxes, first fashioned in seventeenth-century France and made of oak with cast iron posts today. (By the way, identical boxes are used as trash bins in the gardens of the Versailles Palace which I had the pleasure of visiting last week). </p><p><img id="fb_image" src="http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/eQ/estates-greystone-great-house-56-0309_LG.jpg" style="top: -12.5px; left: -26px;" /></p> <p>Greystone's Reflecting Pool. Inspired by classical gardens of France and Italy, the landscaping by Burks Hamner marries classic architecture with potted olive trees and formal hedges.</p>Lots of rooms, lots of different styles, I hope you enjoyed this tour.<br /><br />All images and information (and believe it or not, even <span style="font-style: italic;">more</span> pics) right <a href="http://www.veranda.com/room-decorating/great-house-greystone-estate">here</a>.

Historic Greystone Estate

Hello dear readers! I'm back from my trip to Paris which was wonderful. I'd like to thank my daughter and hubby (and my other kids w...

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