Friday, July 21, 2017

"TREETOPS" A Small Country House Done in the Italian Manner at Oyster Bay, L. I.


A good idea of the color treatment of "Treetops" is given by the artist John Floyd Yewell. 

Like Peter Pan's house, Treetops, being situated on the top of a thickly wooded knoll, gives one a real impression of being high up in the trees - a situation which insures absolute privacy as well. The screened-in porch beneath the master's bedroom is an unusual and wholly delightful feature, being integral with the house and glassed in during the winter months. The brightly colored bas-reliefs set in the stucco add a characteristic Italian touch.

The French windows of the dining room open on to a little terrace commanding a lovely view of the woods below. The graceful figure on the wall fountain is done in brilliant flesh tints against a cerulean blue background.

Set in a frame of cool green foliage, the warm glow of the stucco is enhanced by the emerald note of the door and the balcony railing, and the brilliant orange of the wine jars that flank the entrance that is highly effective.

Reginald T. Townsend, Editor Country Life in America.

The house was built for Reginald T. Townsend by Architect LOUIS S. WEEKS in 1925. It was during his decade-long tenure as Editor at Country Life in America that he traveled to Alberta and took the first of many journeys with the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies. In 1952 the New England Society established the Reginald T. Townsend Award to recognize outstanding achievement representing the finest attributes of the New England character.

Its location and status is unknown to me.


3 comments:

  1. "Its location and status is unknown to me."

    What a search challenge this is! I've looked and looked, but have only come up with finding two of Mr. T's living survivors, a son and a daughter. If I find contact info for either of them, I'll post so that you can pursue the rest of the story on this remarkable gem of a house, "Tree Tops."

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    1. Thanks. The highlighted Reginald T. Townsend above links a bio written by his son. You can join the site to make contact with the person who administrates.

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    2. Ah, indeed it does! I'll contact him via that site, refer him to your blog here, and see if he can add to the history of "Treetops."

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