Four acrcs of oak under rcof

ARDWOOD has always been a symbol of quality and beauty, especially in architectural applications. Biltmore House near Asheville. N.C.. is an outstanding example of hardwood use.

One hundred years ago, George Vanderbilt, riding through the hills of North Carolina. came upon a view so exhilarating he was inspired to build a magnificent home as both a tribute and a complement to the site. Today, over 500,000 visitors a year are witness to his achievement at Biltmore House and Gardens.

George Vanderbilt engaged two masters to assist him in his dream, architect Richard Morris Hunt and landscape designer Frederick Law Olmsted. Hundreds ofskilled laborers and artisans worked steadily for five years to build the 250-room house. During this time, Hunt and Vanderbilt traveled throushout

Europe choosing art treasures for the home. Rooms were designed to display the collection; additional artwork was commissioned to complement the home.

Story at a Glance

100 year old North Carolina mansion has four acres of oak floors...oak, ebony and walnut paneling emphasizes handcarved hardwood mantels... enough fine hardwood for 140 average houses used in the 250 rooms.

The collection. which includes Flemish Apestries; engravings by Durer; paintings by Sargent, Whistler, and Renoir; and a chess table once owned by Napoleon Bonaparte, has played a valuable role in the preservation ofart. The ceiling painting in the library is the most important work by Pellegrini still in existence. Most of the artist's works were destroyed during the last war in Europe. Quality always took precedence over expense. Oak, ebony, and walnut paneling. Silk, damask, and leather walls. Mantels of marble,jasper ware, and carved hardwood. Arched. stenciled. and coffered ceilings. And throughout it all, nearly four acres ofoak floors. On the main floors, these are laid in intricate herringbone patterns. Even the simplest servants'quarters in the basement and on the fourth floor enjoy the oak strip flooring usually reserved for the formal areas offine homes.

All together, Biltmore House holds enough fine hardwood floors for more than 140 average-sized houses.

The grounds, a masterful blend of formality and naturalism, are arlrong Olmsted's best preserved works. Tirday's visitor can stand in the carefully designed, precisely planted Italian garden and look out over forests and mountains. In the walled garden, staff gardeners use seasonal florvers to form decorative tapestries. Traditional gardens flow easily into romantic woodlands.

But George Vanderbilt was not content for the home to be simply an object of beauty. He intended it to be part of a thriving, productive estate. Eroded furmland was turned into rich frelds. His vast holdings in Pisgah Forest were harvested and managed under the first American experiments in practical forestry and the commercial dairy at Biltmore pioneered the improvement of dairying in the South. TMay, Biltmore House stands in tribute to the beauty ofnature and the progressive vision of one man. The vision is 100 years old. The view is more breathtaking than ever.

Deck Contest

(Continued from page 62) time. And when they saw the contest, they decided to do it. It's a pretty expensive project, so I don't think it was a spur of the moment thing. They had to already have it in mind, and the contest got them thinking and motivated," Scarpello says.

Nash agrees, "lt would be diflicult to measure an actual impact on sales. Although it would be nice, we can't say redwood sales were uP 500/0. Instead it was an ongoing venture, that generates Press and continues to attract attention that we are a source of quality materials for quality projects."

It was successful enough to justify a second annual competition. "But this year we're opening the format to include more exterior home improvement projects: decks, Patios, gazebos, unique fencing, landscaping involving wood, even treehouses. It's a broader scope so more people can participate," says Nash.

Most of all, the companY reallY enjoyed seeing their customers return at the end of the summer, very serious and excited about what they had done. "We got to see how the supplier and customer work as partners, us supplying the materials and them doing the actual design and building," Nash says. "Day in and day out you sell the materials and it's neat to see people bring in the Pictures to see what they've done with them. If for nothing else, it was worth it just for that."

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