The Palazzo Santa Sofia, commonly known as the Ca' d'Oro or golden house, is a 15th century palazzo along the Grand Canal in Venice. You probably recognize it from myriad postcards or the backdrop to movies, I know I do!
The building is known as the golden house because its exterior used to be decorated with gilt and polychrome but now is natural stone; Old habits die hard I suppose!
Built for the Contarini family by sculptor/ architect Giovanni Bon and his son, Bartolomeo Bon, in gothic style, it was a more decorative version of the style prefered by the Venetians which the Bon's made famous throughout Venice.
One arrives off the Grand Canal to the boat launch behind a screened loggia.
Which gives entry to the courtyard.
The loggias surrounding the courtyard have gorgeous inlaid marble floors and byzantine capitals topping the columns.
How many different types of marble can you count here?
The loggias upstairs off the main compartments offer breathtaking views of the Grand Canal.
Since 1922 the house has been owned by the state and operates as a museum.
In the collection is this bronze winged lion. The winged lion is representative of St. Mark the Evangelist who is the patron saint of the city and stands as the symbol of the city.
Photos courtesy of the Australian.
One of the most feminine guest rooms at Vizcaya is named Espagnolette. All of the guest suites were named after historical characters from literature and feature different design styles. Each suite comfortably features a bathroom and ample walk in closet.
This bedroom has access to Mr. Deering's bedroom suite via the balcony so one suspects that his most special female guests were invited to stay, if you get my drift. The room's name fittingly refers to a young decolletee woman from the 18th century, such as the ones depicted by Watteau. While he never married and remained deeply private about his personal affairs, Deering is known to have had several mistresses throughout his lifetime and certainly they were invited to stay at Vizcaya and probably in this suite. Chalfin chose to decorate the room in a romantic Venetian interpretation of French Rococo style. The room features an antique period mantelpiece but the centerpiece remains the magnificent canopied bed.
The main guest suite at Vizcaya is in the opposite corner of Mr. Deerings offering views of both Viscayne Bay and the Formal Gardens. Occupying the physical corner is the sitting room named Galleon after the shipping vessels which inspired the house.
The wood walls are painted to imitate marble and display a collection of 18th century Italian landscape paintings. As throughout the rest of the house, the diverse decorations include 18th century Italian and English furniture with a French Savonnerie carpet.
This extravagant suite seems like an amazing place to stay for Deering's guest of honor -wouldn't you say?
The Southeast tower holds 2 guest rooms which share a bath. Giudecca, shown here, is simpler than the rooms downstairs but no less elegant. The centerpiece is, again, a magnificent canopied bed.
I love the decorative plaster work on the walls highlighted in mint green and tan, so evocative of the time period. The room is named after an island in Venice as it overlooks the Venetian-styled bridges and ornaments along the waterfront.
At the foot of the bed (raised on a platform for some reason) are two Louis Vuitton traveling trunks. I suppose guests would need to pack a lot because they would never want to leave!
