The Russell house is the palatial limestone estate owned by the Russell family. The house's address is 1801, 5th Avenue, and it's located on the corner of the 5th Avenue and 61st street in Manhattan, New York. Across the street is The Brook House. The building is fictional, and the exterior is a set. The house is much newer and larger than the surrounding brownstone houses.
The Russell family also owns a house in Newport.
History[]
The Russell house is designed by the architect Stanford White and it was finished in 1882. Many of the old New York society found the use of a new architect, as well as the building's grand size, too ostentatious. Although some truly admired it, like Ward McAllister.
George, Bertha and Gladys Russell moved into the house in summer 1882 from the 30th street, when the house was just getting finished. Larry Russell moved in shortly after them, after returning from Harvard university.
Although the servants' living quarters haven't been shown in the series, it can be assumed that at least the majority of the Russells's servants also live at the house.
Layout[]
The house appears to have 5 floors. The main entrance faces the 61st street, and the servant's entrance is on the right side of the house, leading to the kitchen.
The Great Hall[]
- The house has a very large entrance hallway named Great Hall.
- The Great Hall has a pink marble floor, and a fireplace on the left side wall.
- A large marble staircase covered with a red carpet ascends in the room, and turns to the left.
- The chandelier is told to be bought from Hôtel de Soubise, Paris.
- A red carpet for the guests is rolled outside the main entrance on formal occassions.
The drawing room[]
- The drawing room is located on the ground floor, left from the hallway.
- The room has pastel teal walls decorated with gold ornaments and arched windows.
- A large portrait painting of Bertha hangs on top of the fireplace.
The bed chambers[]
- All the bed chambers are located on the upper floors.
- Bertha's chamber's theme color is pink, and it's a set, inspired by Alva Vanderbilt's old bedroom in Marble House, Newport.
- The room used as Gladys's bedroom is at The Elms in Newport, a mansion which also serves as the exterior of the Russells' Newport house.[1]
- George's bedroom, which is dark-toned and red-themed, is filmed in Consuelo Vanderbilt's old bedroom in Marble House.[2]
- Larry's room has paneling that's said to be bought from Château de Chavaniac, France.
The Dining room[]
- The Russell family dining room is on the first floor, to the right from the Great hall.
- The room has teal, heavily gold-ornamented walls.
The Kitchen[]
- The large kitchen and scullery are located on the first floor, on the right side of the house, next to the dining room.
- The servant's entrance leads to the kitchen.
- The kitchen is filmed at The Elms in Newport.[3]
The library[]
- The library is located on the first floor, on the left side of the house.
- The library has monogrammed, blue glass windows with the letters G&R on them.
- The room has dark red walls and dark brown wood floors, and dark brown shelving for books.
- There's a clock in the library that's brought from Palazzo Borghese, Rome and a desk that belonged to King Ludwig of Bavaria.
- The library is a set, inspired by the one in Chateau-Sur-Mer in Newport.[4]
The Ball Room[]
- The gilded ball room is located on an upper floor.
- The Ball room is filmed at The Breakers, a mansion in Newport.[5]
The Billiard Room[]
- The billiard room is filmed at The Breakers and is located on an upper floor.
Other rooms[]
- The house is also known to have a smoking room, a school room, and a gallery.
- The red hallway on an upper floor is filmed at The Elms.[1]
Gallery[]
