Plankinton’s Palace: Private Suites

2/27/26 16 Comments

Authored & Curated By

M.J.G.

Chapter8(1880s) – period view

Private suites on the second floor were not unheard of in nineteenth-century houses, especially in larger, well-appointed homes. As families accumulated more space and placed greater emphasis on comfort, privacy, and household routine, it became increasingly practical to group a principal bedchamber with adjoining rooms—dressing rooms, closets, nurseries, or even a small sitting room—into a semi-contained “suite.” This arrangement kept the most personal parts of daily life out of the public entertaining rooms below, while allowing servants to attend to fires, water, clothing, and cleaning with less disruption. In homes with these arrangements, the suite also helped separate family circulation from guest circulation: visitors might be housed in secondary chambers, while the primary family rooms occupied the best light, the best views, and the most convenient access to wardrobes and bathing arrangements.

Mrs. Plankinton’s private suite is thought to have been located in this part of the house, although this cannot be confirmed with certainty. Its position immediately adjacent to the bamboo bedroom suggests that this chamber may have formed part of her personal rooms, and possibly served as the shared bedchamber for both Mrs. Plankinton and her husband, John.

This photograph is titled Mrs. Plankinton’s Private Sitting Room. Looking closely at this dark image reveals a fireplace and a well-lit bay. Like most of the other rooms in the house, the floors are covered in wall-to-wall carpeting, with a center table and chairs arranged throughout the space.

Now let us look more closely at the carpeting. This floral-patterned carpet features a very wide border that wraps into the bay, creating a strong visual frame for the space. It is a striking design that establishes a clear sense of division within the room. Like the other rooms in the house, a central floor vent near the bay provided heat.

The brightly lit bay was divided by heavy drapes and lace curtains. The lace separated the area into a cozy nook, creating a private and secluded place to sit.

The table is beautifully crafted, bold yet delicate in its execution. It also appears to have a circular inset, similar to those seen downstairs in the main parlor. In period photographs, tables of this type were used in many ways, with the lower shelf serving both decorative and practical purposes.

On the table sits a very typical ornamental pitcher of a type seen in many homes during this period. While this style was mass-produced, this example may have been of higher quality. Also scattered across the table, in typical late nineteenth-century fashion, are books and other objects arranged to give the room a natural, lived-in appearance. Low lets also appreciate the simple chair in the background.

This tufted chair appears to be part of a larger suite, with its deeply tufted back and attractive framing. It is not entirely clear what type of wood was used in its construction.

This mantel echoes the craftsmanship seen in other mantels throughout the house. It is a strong design, incorporating porcelain-like inserts. It is unclear whether these match the table exactly, but the designer may have intended for the woodwork to harmonize with the table and other elements of the room.

A beautiful clock on the mantel reflects the window on the opposite side. If you can identify the clock’s maker, please share it in the comments section below.

The large mantel mirror reflects the bay window opposite. It is topped with a matching crest and insert, echoing the ornamental carving of the overmantel below.

This room’s chandelier has a simpler execution than the one in the front parlor downstairs, though it still has enough detail and jets to make the room feel well appointed.

The valance over the doorway to the nook is very bold, though unfortunately we are unable to see the details of the fabric clearly. Looking closely, however, we can see that the valance fringe is quite heavy, with four pieces per string. The draperies are finished with a smaller, more delicate fringe.

In this 1887 catalog by C. A. Schmidt Manufacturers, you can see ready-made fringes that were notably long in their design, with multiple pompoms per string—styles that are rarely found in stores today. It was a popular decorative treatment that has largely disappeared. Braided fringe, however, has made a comeback and is much easier to find.

The next location is thought to be on this side of the mansion.

This is listed as Plankinton’s Bedroom; however, this is the only known photograph of the room, and the bed itself is not visible. What we can see, however, is a brightly painted and stenciled interior, centered around a bold fireplace and illuminated by gas lighting.

Behind this comfortable-looking seat, you can see a narrow stencil pattern running both above and below the chair rail. Notice how heavily and deeply tufted the seat, arms, and front are. The material appears reflective—perhaps silk.

A closer look at the wooden frames holding the prints reveals classic Eastlake-style workmanship. These frames are beautiful and were quite popular at the time, though they are not as easily found today as other gesso or ebonized Eastlake examples.

You can almost make out a dark band with a repeating frieze pattern above a beautifully carved overmantel with beveled mirror.

On the mantel sits a clock flanked by statues on the left and right. Beyond it, the opening to the bay window nook can be seen. The walls are hung with several large framed portraits and prints. You can also make out that the globes on the chandelier are made of dark-colored glass, meaning the room would have been illuminated with a softer, lower cast of light.

Lastly, on the small shelves to the left and right of the fireplace, you can see shells on display—perhaps collected during travels or a visit to the seaside.

Special thanks to Katie Blank, University and Digital Records Archivist, for her help with permissions and documentation as well as locating higher resolution images for us.

Plankinton's Palace:
Chapter 1: The House
Chapter 2: The Hall
Chapter 3: The Parlor
Chapter 4: The Reception Room
Chapter 5: The Sitting Room
Chapter 6: The Second Floor & Guest Room
Chapter 7: The Bamboo Room
Chapter 8: Private Suites (current)

Other Historic Photographic Deep Dives

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