In 2017, there were about 126.22 million households in the United States of America. Plenty of them are just functional; four walls and a roof that offer us a place to live, rest and work in safety and comfort.
Some though are much more than a traditional home with its books scattered all over the study, dust covering the lounge and clothes strewn all over the bedroom floor. Some are spectacular pieces of architecture, design, and history.
From classic houses of the Old South built in the 1800s to designs of the 20th century made entirely out of glass and steel, here are five of the most beautiful homes and gardens in America.
Oak Valley Plantation; Vacherie, Louisiana
Built in 1837, Oak Valley Plantation was originally a sugar cane plantation on the Mississippi and is exactly the sort of building that every person imagines when they close their eyes and thinks of the Old South. Its centerpiece isn’t inside but outdoors, a stunning 800-foot-long corridor of live oaks which date back to the 1700s. It’s open to visitors for tours and you can even spend a night out in a cottage on the 25-acre grounds.
Biltmore Estate; Asheville, North Carolina
George Vanderbilt built Biltmore Estate between 1889 and 1895, describing it as his “little” mountain escape. Given that the mansion has over 250 rooms, we’d love to know what Vanderbilt’s definition of large is! The largest privately-owned home in America, there was a strong New York theme running through the architects and designers hired. Richard Morris Hunt designed the buildings having previously helped sculpt the face of New York City by designing the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. Frederick Law Olmsted of Central Park fame meanwhile is responsible for the formal French gardens and rolling English landscapes. If you’d love your home to have a lawn the quality of Biltmore Estate, then check out Mygardeningnetwork.Com for inspiration.
Fallingwater; Mill Run, Pennsylvania
Frank Lloyd Wright designed structures that were in harmony with humanity and the environment in a process he called organic architecture. There probably isn’t a better example of organic architecture than Fallingwater in Mill Run, Pennsylvania. The house is built over a 30-foot waterfall and features cantilevered floors and T-shaped beams integrated into a huge slab of reinforced concrete. A structural as well as a visual masterpiece.
Glass House; New Canaan, Connecticut
Architect Phillip Johnson built Glass House in 1949 as a weekend getaway from the city. It does exactly what it says on the label, namely being a simple, small house built out of industrial materials such as glass and steel. Johnson actually lived there during weekends for 58 years and although nobody lives in the house now, it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1997 meaning it is open for guided tours.
Ernest Hemingway House; Key West, Florida
The home of the great writer may look like it has been plucked straight from the outskirts of Havana, but it can actually be found in Florida. Visitors can do practically anything at Ernest Hemingway House, from guided tours to visiting over 40 cats who live there, some of home are descended from Hemingway’s famous feline Snow White. There’s a bookstore, gardens and you can even get married on the property.