Christmas at Biltmore

The first week in December, my girls and I had the pleasure of taking a trip with friends (Missy and her daughter) to The Biltmore Estate–a getaway originally planned for last spring which got postponed due to the pandemic. My sister-in-law and niece were planning to join us as well, but, sadly, had to back out at the last minute due to illness. We missed them greatly!

I’d like to share some images from our trip, starting today with photos of the house, and following up with two more posts on the gardens and the dining (yes, food is always a big part of the travel experience!). When I’ve blogged about Biltmore in the past (on my old blog), I always included some history on the rooms and art. Today, however, I won’t have the time to get too bogged down in the details, so I’ll just be scrolling through the highlights.

Any time of year is ideal for visiting Biltmore! While the outdoor spaces may not have the same draw in December as they do in milder seasons, Christmas at Biltmore is a most magical indoor experience and well worth the trip! From the moment we drove through the enchanting entrance of the estate, an abundance of glowy lights gave us all the holiday feels.

No matter how many visits I make to Biltmore, the walk to the house is exhilarating every time! The lion below was in our Christmas card photos one year when our girls were little and we took their picture beside it.

Inside, we started our audio tour with the splendid Winter Garden, all decked with poinsettias!

The Billiard Room was next, but somehow I missed snapping a photo.

The Banquet Hall is probably the most breathtaking room in the entire house to me, and the imposing Christmas tree is absolutely stunning! On our first day at the estate, they were actually doing a mid-Christmas season tree change. The tree is so large that it can not be watered, therefore, it has to be taken down and replaced with a fresh tree halfway through the Christmas season. Can you imagine?! This photo is from our second-day walkthrough when everything was back in order.

The vintage toys and basket of oranges at the base of the tree were representative of the Vanderbilt’s lavish Christmas parties they hosted for the estate employees and their children.

The Breakfast Room is so elegant!

The Salon was never completed during George Vanderbilt’s lifetime, but was closed off with large drapes until finished in later years. Notice the blue in the Christmas tree? That just might have been a little inspiration I brought home for the holidays.

The Music Room was another room that was not completed until decades after Mr. Vanderbilt’s death. During World War 2 it safely and secretly housed many priceless paintings and sculptures from the National Gallery of Art, including a portrait of George Washington.

The Tapestry Gallery is always exquisite with it’s fireplaces and three 500-year-old Flemish tapestries–from The Triumph of Seven Virtues–representing Faith, Charity, and Prudence. Five hundred years old! My music-major daughter and I enjoyed the music-themed trees throughout the gallery.

I adore the displays of tea sets and family photographs placed around the room.

Below is a portrait of the very elegant Edith Vanderbilt, benevolent mistress of the estate.

The Library. Oh, the Library is just fantastic! Mr. Vanderbilt amassed a collection of over 22,000 books!

This Christmas cactus in its lovely dish caught my eye.

Passing back through the most welcoming foyer in America, the Entrance Hall charmed us with swags of twinkling lights and gralands.

Ascending the cantilevered staircase is quite a climb with a dizzying number of steps and details along the way!

And that 1,700-pound chandelier? It’s secured into the intricately-designed domed ceiling with a single bolt!

Every room was decorated for Christmas, including the upstairs Living Halls. I found the blue ribbon to be so striking on this tree, and again tucked the idea away for my own Christmas décor. Missy and I later found the ribbon in a gift shop for a staggering $100 a roll! And notice the toys at the bottom of the tree again? That idea was tucked away as well.

I can’t imagine there being a more opulent room than Mr. Vanderbilt’s with its gilded wallcovering (22-karat, I think??) and 17th-century Portuguese Baroque Furniture.

The attention to detail in ceilings like this one in the Oak Sitting Room is not uncommon around the house.

The fireplace mantle in the sitting room was inspiration for my own Christmas mantle this year (scaled down a little).

Mrs. Vanderbilt’s Louis XV-styled Bedroom is certainly one of rich luxury!

Her bathroom includes a shower–a novelty of the time. This is not seen on the normal audio tour, but was part of a specialty Backstairs Tour we took on our second day at Biltmore.

Another room seen on the Backstairs Tour was that of Mrs. Vanderbilt’s lady’s maid. I’ve always found the servant’s quarters and their stories to be just as fascinating as those of the Vanderbilts and their wealthy guests.

Through many years of visits, I’ve noticed that the tour through the guest rooms is rerouted periodically to allow for renovations and limiting of wear and tear. Due to the pandemic, more were blocked off this visit than all other times I’ve toured. But one of my favorites–the Tyrolean Chimney Room–was open and decorated beautifully for the season.

The Tyrolean Chimney Room is naturally named after this beautifully hand-painted 18th-century Swiss porcelain tile overmantel. On an interesting side note, 20 years ago, my sister and I took a behind-the-scenes tour which took us through this room, before it was ever open to the public, as it and it’s delicate chimney were being restored.

The Louis XV Room is not only magnificent in its lush French style, but also holds special historic significance to the Vanderbilt family as it was where two generations of the family were birthed–Cornelia in 1900, and her sons during the 1920’s. This is one birthing suite I would not have minded having!

There is so much to see in the basement of the house, however, I did not take too many photos of this area for this trip. Below is the Main Kitchen, and I can only imagine the hustle and bustle this room saw when George and Edith hosted dinner parties! Other basement rooms include several more kitchens and pantries, the Halloween Room, Bowling Alley, Swimming Pool, Gymnasium, and Servants Rooms. The Main Laundry and Drying Rooms were blocked off due to the pandemic.

As part of our specialty Backstairs Tour, we were taken into the largest of the china pantries which is closed off to the general public. This is a two-story china cabinet!

Back upstairs, and wrapping up our tour, was the Bachelor’s Wing Hall which includes the Smoking Room, Gun Room, and another peak into Billiard Room. Below is the Smoking Room showcasing its gorgeous blue wallcovering and upholstery.

The rear of the Banquet Hall could also be viewed from the Bachelor’s Wing, and I think this is my favorite photo of all!

After touring the inside of the estate, we made our way around the many gardens and walking paths, which I will share in another post. For now I’ll leave you with this side elevation view from the South Terrace which features a wisteria-covered arbor off the Library. Oh, to step back in time for an afternoon on this terrace with a book from the library and a cup of tea!

Friends, there’s just so much more!! This barely scratches the surface of the home and it’s artistic and historical details. I’ve been visiting The Biltmore Estate since I was a girl, and I discover new nuggets of its story and beauty with each visit. It’s truly a special place.