Whether building a castle of one’s own or simply a room of one’s own, this talk explores how these women cultivated le goût français and brought French art and design traditions into their homes, positioning themselves as influential tastemakers of the Gilded Age.
Explore how the elite women on the North Shore shaped domestic environments through the adoption of French revival styles.
Focusing on figures such as Alva Vanderbilt Belmont, Katherine Mackay, and our very own Mai Rogers Coe, this program reveals how Gilded Age women of the Gold Coast visualized centuries of French style through the art, architecture, and interiors of their grand residences.
From a medieval-inspired château to French Renaissance and eighteenth-century interiors, these storied estates reveal a wide range of French models in their conception. Imported furnishings, decorative arts, and commissioned portraiture created richly layered settings that evoked both Gothic fantasy and ancien régime elegance.
Details
Creative Spirits: Gold Coast Glamour & French Design in the Gilded Age
Wednesday, June 17, 2026
6pm – 8pm
$35 per person
Location: The Main House
Check-In: Begins at 6pm at the Main House
Oyster Bay, NY
All tickets final sale. Guests under age 18 must be accompanied by a paid adult.
