High Society: Traditions Live on at the Gilded "Cottage"

Before we bid farewell to summer retreating completely, we wanted to bring you this very special look into an iconic piece of architecture and slice of social life that reflects a bygone era. TSG Co-founder Susie Matheson visits ‘Beaulieu’ in Newport, RI every summer for her family vacation. Owned by her husband’s grandmother, who has spent the last forty summer seasons in Newport, the lovingly maintained mansion gives tradition a whole new meaning.

“Every summer the entire family, all of the cousins, descend on BEAULIEU — Staying in the house is like stepping back in time.” – Susie Matheson

The Breakfast Room

The Story of ‘Beaulieu’

When Ruth and her first husband, Wiley T. Buchanan Jr.,(President Eisenhower’s chief of protocol) first laid eyes on Beaulieu it was quite run-down. Originally built in 1856-1859, the house had seen owners such as the Astors, but had been left in disrepair.

Wiley was determined to save the home, within a year they had restored it completely. They replaced the porch, restored all the rooms and hired legendary designer Valerian Rybar to decorate the interior. A mix of gilded, french furnishings with fun chintz and turquoise porch furniture, the estate is one-of-a-kind.

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“nothing ever changes. When repairs and renovations need to be made, they are done in the same fashion that they once were. When a sofa needs to be reupholstered, she orders the same fabric she picked in 1961! When you get it right the first time around, there’s a timelessness and no need to be ‘current’.” – Susie

View from the Roof
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Beaulieu Gate House