3 Opulent Gilded Age Homes For Sale Right Now: How Much House

ACROSS AMERICA — During America’s Gilded Age, the tumultuous years between the U.S. Civil War era and the early 20th century, suddenly rich barons and people whose fortunes were handed down through the generations expressed their wealth in luxurious mansions.

In architecture, the Gilded Age doesn’t refer to a particular style as much as a trend among architects specializing Beaux Arts design and their clients to outdo one another with lavish details, according to Architectural Digest. Often, these mansions featured elements of neoclassic styles such as Gothic Revival French Baroque, Italian Renaissance and Roman classicism.

This week in How Much House, we look at three homes in the District of Columbia, New York City and Rhode Island that were built during the Gilded Age.

District of Columbia | $5,999,999

1808 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Washington
Listed by: Randolph Adams | EXP Realty, LLC
Square feet: 10,000
Acreage: 0.12 acre
Bedrooms: 15
Bathrooms: 13 (12 full)
Year built: 1883; updated in 1910

The Swann House, one of the oldest freestanding mansions in the Dupont Circle area, was designed by prolific Washington architect Walter Paris for his own use, and was the private residence of several prominent Washingtonians before it became a bed-and-breakfast. It is again being marketed as a single-family home.

One of the few homes with a two-curb cut private driveway, this mansion has 15 bedrooms, 10 working fireplaces and elaborate cornices, fluted woodwork and inlaid wood floors that are typical of the period. Of special note is the original marble frieze on the mantelpiece in the first-floor dining room.

Most of the other interior finishes, including moldings, paneling, doors and the staircase, have been preserved from the original construction. The ensuite bathroom on the third floor has a period freestanding tub with an overhead shower attachment.

The interior details compete for attention with the outdoor spaces — four decks on multiple levels, the Romanesque front porch, and a slate courtyard with a cocktail swimming pool. Peek inside for more photos.

Rhode Island | $4,500,000

31 Old Beach Road, Newport
Listed by: Newport Living Group | Lila Delman, Compass
Square feet: 5,363
Acreage: 0.36 acre
Bedrooms: 8
Bathrooms: 13 (12 full)
Year built: 1873

Built by Newport’s most famed architect, George Champlin Mason Sr., as his personal residence in a Gilded Age neighborhood, Top-of-the-Hill, this lavish mansion is conveniently situated between the center of town and Newport’s beaches.

The elegantly designed family compound has been updated in the past decade to balance history and architectural details with contemporary amenities, including a chef's kitchen, dedicated home offices, smart home features, gas fireplaces, outdoor living spaces, high-efficiency heating and cooling systems, and an EV car charger.

The first floor is the place for entertaining, with a large living and dining area with double doors that open to a gracious veranda. The second and third floors have flexible spaces that can be used however the buyer desires — for example, as a playroom, game room or guest suite. The finished lower level offers more living quarters, with the potential for a home gym, movie theater or wine cellar.

An epic, 30-foot “tree house” offers three fun levels that contain a storage shed, a workshop with a barn door and hoist beams, and an astronomy pad offering great views of meteor showers and other celestial events. Peek inside for more photos.

New York | $6,495,000

146 E. 38th St., New York City
Listed by: Stefani Berkin | R New York
Square feet: 3,889
Bedrooms: 5
Bathrooms: 5 (all full)
Year built: 1861

This sun-flooded, 20-foot-wide townhouse is located in the Murray Hill Historic District in Manhattan was built for the McCafferty family in 1861 and later was the family home for one of the daughters of the founder of the Singer Sewing Machine Co.

The lavish architectural details typical of the Gilded Age — ornate mantels and plaster work and double doors held in place by foliate brackets, for example — have been preserved in renovations.

First impressions count. A beautifully manicured patio sets the tone before walking through the double doors and into a vestibule and spacious foyer with custom Zuber wallpaper that embellishes the staircase. On the left are two large sitting areas with marble wood-burning fireplaces. The parlor floor is spacious enough for a party and has a powder room and wet bar.

The formal dining room at the garden level feeds into a spacious kitchen outfitted with a wood-burning fireplace and windows that look out to the south-facing back yard, a private space with plenty of room to entertain or simply unwind.

The primary suite is on the third level. It also has a fireplace and is adjacent to a large room that is currently used as a gym, but can be converted to a bedroom, home office or dressing room. The ensuite bath is spa-level, and the suite has a private balcony.

The fourth floor features a skylight; two bedrooms with marble fireplaces; two full baths, one of them ensuite; and a third smaller bedroom that is currently set up as an office.

The cellar level features a temperature-controlled room used by the current owners as a wine cellar, as well as plenty of storage space. Peek inside for more photos.

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