National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

Empire Bedroom
Resource History and Description of Existing Conditions
The Empire Bedroom is the most luxurious of the third floor guest rooms. It occupies
the southwest corner, directly over Frederick's Bedroom, and has commanding views of the
Hudson River. It shares a bathroom with the Green Bedroom. This bathroom is accessible
from both bedrooms as well as the hallway.
The room is furnished with an assembled set of French Empire furniture which gave the
room its name. However, it seems as though all of the furniture dates from the end of the
nineteenth century, rather than the early Empire period. 848 According to Frederick's niece Daisy
Van Alen Bruguiere, he bought the furniture, had it upholstered, and decorated the room to
match. 849 The architectural details of this room match the other guest rooms on the third floor
and were designed by McKim, Mead & White. Herter Brothers executed the cornice, window
and door trim. 850
The walls and furniture were covered with a green, now faded to gold, silk damask in an
Empire pattern of two sizes of star-shaped flowers. The curtains are green silk trimmed with
gold tape. They hang from brass rods with Empire-style tie backs. The rose-colored wall-towall
carpeting came from W. & J. Sloane. 851 The mantel is carved and painted wood with a
reddish orange marble surround. The furniture in this room is not a suite, but individual pieces
all in the Empire style. 852 The pieces include a double bed, a cheval glass, a chaise longue, a
bureau, 853 two side chairs, an armchair, an easy chair, a dressing table, a neo-Egyptian round
center table, a washstand, a tall chest of drawers, a taboret table, an oval mirror hung above the
bureau, and a blanket rack. The room is lit by five sconces that are identical to those throughout
the third floor guest rooms. The accessories include an Empire mantel clock with matching
candelabra.
The Empire Bedroom survives in its original condition, retaining wall coverings,
draperies, and curtains. It is an excellent example of the vogue at the end of the nineteenth
century for French Empire decoration in the United States.
Green Bedroom 854
The Green Bedroom is located on the west side of the mansion. It shares a bathroom
with the Empire Bedroom. The walls are paneled and painted off-white canvas. It is likewise
furnished with a suite of white-painted furniture. The upholstery and draperies are green-andpink
striped lampas. It is the color of the draperies that gave this room its original identity as the
848
It is possible that the bed is early nineteenth century.
849
Bruguiere, 1948. The myth that this furniture came from Malmaison is false. See Malmaison File,
VAMA General Files, "M", ROVA Curatorial Division. Georges Glaenzer is known to have decorated at
least two Empire style rooms, a bedroom for George F. Baker at 258 Madison Avenue in New York City
and a library for Mrs. Charles B. Alexander at 4 West 58th Street, also in New York City.
850
Herter Brothers Sales Ledger, 1898-1904, vol. 18, 15, Entry June 23, 1898: "Norcross Brothers for F.
W. Vanderbilt."
851
The carpeting is the same throughout the third floor, and one piece has a stencil "W & J. Sloane."
852
Lila Vanderbilt Webb also had a bedroom with a similar set of assembled Empire-style furniture at
Shelburne Farms. It is not known if she purchased her furniture from the same source as Frederick.
853
This piece has been altered, the mounts and handles are replacements or additions
854
Green Room according to label in housekeeper's key closet, currently called the White Bedroom
152