Yes, it is pink. And pretty dramatic looking in the Gothic Revival style.
A gap in vehicle and pedestrian traffic, no leaves on the Crepe Myrtles, and a beautiful sky came together on Friday for an unusual photo opportunity of this landmark.
The church sits across Church street from the Dock Street Theater, and as a fan of reflection images I couldn’t pass this up.
French Huguenot Church, Charleston, SC
January 27, 2023
The symmetry and bling of the historic Nathaniel Russell House is on full display in the oval drawing room.
I am fascinated by these tri-column mirror panels. Rather like a fun-house mirror, just shifting your position an inch or two changes the scene. Here, triplicates of a music stand with varying amounts of a standing harp next to it.
Despite the wealth and import business that would have allowed the Russells to have mahogany doors, the hallway doors are faux. The skill and expense of applying the design to a pine door was valued over real mahogany.
Nathaniel Russell House Museum, Charleston, SC
January 27, 2023
This home has been restored to its 1808 appearance and is part of the Historic Charleston Foundation collection.
Additional posts of the Nathaniel Russell House Museum
The Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist had been repairing decaying plaster work on the ceiling the last time I was inside. The repairs and painting were part of a larger project which I believe was completed sometime in 2020 or early 2021.
What a difference!
For comparison, one of the images I posted from a 2018 visit:
Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist
Charleston, SC
Another room of the Nathaniel Russell House Museum that is a show off, including this gold decorated tea set.
The Nathaniel Russell House Museum embodies the flaunt-it lifestyle of the mercantile elite of late 1700s – early 1800s Charleston, SC. The house has been restored to its 1808 appearance and is part of the Historic Charleston Foundation collection.
Photos taken October 13, 2021
Showing some more detail of the sensory overload in the Oval Drawing Room, this is a close up of the Georgian Gothic crown molding. The museum tour indicates this is made of plaster with 22 Carat gold leaf.
A wider view shows the rounding of the corner and the top corner framing of the panel mirrors.
From the hallway the Oval Drawing Room glows with natural light when the sun is shining, as it was this day. The room to the left is the Withdrawing Room, which runs across the entire front of the house.
This home has been restored to its 1808 appearance and is part of the Historic Charleston Foundation collection.
Photos taken October 13, 2021
Additional posts of the Nathaniel Russell House Museum
The Oval Drawing Room on the second floor of the Nathaniel Russell House Museum is something of a sensory overload.
Every type of architectural detail is decorated–the gilded cornice, the door frames, the frames around the window.
In addition to helping reflect the candlelight of the era, the panel mirrors were another statement of wealth.
I suspect they were also disorienting to late night party attendees.
This home has been restored to its 1808 appearance and is part of the Historic Charleston Foundation collection.
Photos taken October 13, 2021
Additional posts of the Nathaniel Russell House Museum
The Oval Drawing Room on the second floor of the Nathaniel Russell House Museum embodies the flaunt-it lifestyle of the mercantile elite of the late 1700s – early 1800s Charleston.
The tea set has plenty of its own bling, with opulent decoration.
Panel mirrors and cornice gilding helped brighten the room for after dinner parties, reflecting candle light.
This home has been restored to its 1808 appearance and is part of the Historic Charleston Foundation collection.
Photos taken October 13, 2021
A reality in Charleston: fancy dress shops and sand bags for days the streets flood.
Charleston, SC has become a wedding destination and dress shops lead the way of the more obvious related businesses.
This shop is in an 1850s historically recognized home with elegant porches and dramatic windows. Those and interior details I expect contribute to the dress purchase being an “experience”.
The fence and closed gate keep passers by at bay. In an unusual Charleston detail, this home has its large porches facing the street, where most run down the side of the building. Placement was determined by the summer heat looking to maximize breeze and minimize direct sun.
I’m attracted to gaudy chandeliers, not that I would want one, but the bling does draw my eye.
The light from the huge Palladian window (three-sections where the center section is arched and larger than the two side sections) makes images a challenge.
The cantilevered staircase (fixed to the wall with no other support) provides an elegant setting intended to impress Charleston society.
This home has had a number of uses since it was built in 1803 for the Manigault family’s city residence and was nearly torn down for a gas station in 1920. It is now owned by The Charleston Museum which operates daily interpretive tours.
Joseph Manigault House, Meeting Street, Charleston, SC
