THE MENAGERIE - The Mansion
Near the lush vineyards of the Texas Hill Country, prim exteriors belie an unruly spirit of The Menagerie, an enchanting boutique hotel in the former mansion home to Fredericksburg’s first mayor. An inherent flamboyance to the Queen Anne style build, erected near the turn of the century, is amplified in eclectic, idiosyncratic interiors. This estate includes several surrounding cottage style bungalows from the 1930s, each appointed with care. Motifs trail like vines across the property while each room celebrates individuality. Said one writer, “These aren’t rooms you check into and wonder what all the fuss was about.”
For the mansion’s main hall, we pictured vibrant, convivial gatherings at full bore. These are spaces for large parties to grow closer as they toast, play, work and unwind together. We chose a mirthful wallpaper rioting with colors to dance alongside the mansion’s original fringed, imperial-style window treatments and temper their traditional character.
A trove of auction treasures, such as a screen, pedestal and figure, and so much more, layered in with the existing chandeliers and conserved rug in the main room and front hall.
The French Neoclassical giltwood mirror reflects a tole sconce across the hallway like a secret garden.
Risks paid off in this gorgeous traditional dining room with modern chairs and a sideboard, lamps and art that stand up to any conversation in the room.
Almost crystalline in structure but far more curvilinear, a jaw dropping rose-colored venetian chandelier dangles above a country-style breakfast table like the foreshadowing for a tale as wild as the Wizard of Oz. This lighting element elevates and transforms the feel of this breakfast room.
In this color story, we consistently pull shades of vermillion through to the kitchen, where our fearless client trusted us to bathe the cabinetry in ruby hues.
And then we come back to the blue a more quiet place to gather.
Leaning into the moodiness of this low-light space, we indulged in a dark academia style that became one of our client’s favorite areas. Salvador Dali's work graces the walls alongside a mirror by Louis Philippe.
An emerald speakeasy tucked beyond a semi-camouflaged portal is illuminated with a fetching round window.
Bedrooms off this main house were curated to feel comfortable and cozy, with sweet details without feeling saccharine.