Although William Vanderbilt was involved in some of the design of the house, it was primarily a result of the collaboration of Alva Vanderbilt and the architect. Hunt used a blending of late French Gothic style and
Beaux-Arts refinement for the design of the three-and-a-half-story mansion.
Facade The elaborate asymmetrical facade was faced in gray
Indiana limestone, with an irregular roof of blue-gray slate trimmed with copper. The masonry firm of Ellin and Kitson executed the extensive exterior and interior stone carving, reportedly employing more than 40 artisans. Contemporary architectural critics generally gave good reviews of the design, with most noting that this was not, as had previously been the case with
Carpenter Gothic architecture, the pasting of Gothic detail onto an essentially American frame building. Beyond the salon was the breakfast room and an adjoining butler's pantry. At the western end of the grand hall one entered the banquet hall. At and two stories high, it was the largest room in the house. It was Gothic in style, with seven foot high
wainscoting, topped with Caen stone walls. One end of the room contained a massive double fireplace with marble
caryatids supporting an oak over-mantel by
Karl Bitter. A second floor gallery topped the fireplace ensemble. The opposite end of the room featured a musicians gallery. The banquet hall was illuminated by a large stained glass window by Eugène Oudinot. ==See also==