Prior Renovations, Halls, Bedrooms & Bathrooms, VILLA ONE TWENTY, Bridal Venue, Bed and Breakfast, Hotel, Lodging, Newport / Middletown Rhode Island, Villa 120

PRIOR RENOVATIONS!

Prior Renovations, Architecture, Richard UpJohn, 1853-1856, Venue, Bed and Breakfast, Hotel, Lodging, Newport / Middletown Rhode Island, Villa 120

These photos show a magnificant house sitting in darkness and it's true beauty sitting in the shade! Nothing wrong with Victorian Style but tomorrow you will see how simply colors can dramatically change and magnify. BEFORE RENOVATIONS STARTED!

                                                             Haunted????!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                              Dining Room

                                                                      Library

 

 Security Cameras     

                                                                         Kitchen

Prior Renovations, National Historic Register, Venue, Bed and Breakfast, Hotel, Lodging, Newport / Middletown Rhode Island, Villa 120

This beautiful 1856 Mansion, The Hamilton Hoppin House, visionary and architect Richard Upjohn, those old bones are solid, the architecture stunning, the workmanship second to none. This is how I arrived to Villa 120, it just needed a new vision and up-date to the present time - see what we did tomorrow. BEFORE RENOVATIONS STARTED!

St Michaels Day School, Newport Tent, P.J.R. Construction, Venue, Bed and Breakfast, Hotel, Lodging, Newport / Middletown Rhode Island, Villa 120

So where was I............... I found Villa 120, I knew no one in Newport but as fate would have it, whilst signing my children up for schooling I started talking to the admissions secretary, a wonderful warm and caring person who was a true local and knew another old Newporter - Bill Corcoran of Newport Tent; Bill knew a wonderful dynamic and highly successful lady (Stasia Anthony of Equisite Events) who came from another local family and she knew Peter Rapossa of P.J.R. Construction. That is Newport, a small circle of highly skilled, caring and helpful locals, one ripple and before you know it you are put in touch with a team of skilled people. I met up with Peter Rapossa one evening and his son Eric, after showing him around the Villa he later told me he thought I was absolutely mad!  However, Peter was a good listener, I knew what I wanted and since I was still living in the UK would have to visit for a week at a time - source, choose and leave Peter with a vision for him to manage - I was very lucky to meet a skilled, trustworthy and experienced team. We began with pulling out the old rusty kitchens that were pushed into small areas with folded doors covering them in the top four bedrooms, all bathrooms had to be removed, a wardrobe in the Sapphire room, the broken jacuzzi in the ground floor office, another wardrobe and a couple of partition walls. Painters were the hardest to find - and all the wallpaper had to be removed, rubbed down and a new pallete chosen. The kitchen had been pretty non existent - filthy, old and barely functional.  The basement was full - full of trash.  The chandeliers had been replaced with home depots cheapest light fixtures - the closets full of sheets and towels were also full of mouse droppings, and filthy.  I could not believe my realtor had said on closing (I was in London) the Villa looks great and is ready for business!!!!!!!!!!! So we covered what was good and put it into the centre of each room - the rest was pulled out and thrown into the shoot - the front deck was pulled up the kitchen ripped out and all window dressings pulled down.  The Villa was bare, cold and lifeless. Over the next three months I would arrive, work to mid-night, wake at 4 a.m. and start over - Peter was great, emails, phone calls keeping me up-dated on works.  I would arrive and we would go from one store to another, I would choose colors for the walls, units for the kitchen, fixtures for the bathrooms and then leave hoping it would all work out!!!  The hardest job being choosing and leaving.  At the same time I was renovating a one bedroom apartment in Putney London - also living there with my two girls and having to put wardrobes in the bedroom - change the bathroom and kitchen to opposite sides of the apartment and living there whilst the work was going on! Can you imagine, buying a business which had to be bought prior to my visa being accepted and not knowing if it would be accepted and working on two renovations side by side with two daughters - we were a team and together we got through it - keeping a sense of humor is key! Before photos coming tomorrow!

Get Pink Bridal Show, Rhode Island Wedding Group, Bridal Venue, Bed and Breakfast, Hotel, Lodging, Newport / Middletown Rhode Island, Villa 120

The Rhode Island Wedding Group invites you to join at our annual Sunday, March 24th, 2013 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm Newport Marriott Hotel Special room rate at Villa 120 ($99!!!!) to get the our special room rate Come to the Get Pink Bridal Show and Make a Weekend of it: The wedding video is being provided by: Artistic Wedding Video Group Register for the Get Pink Bridal Show Now for a chance to win our Newport Mini-Moon To register, or for more information, go to: www.riweddinggroup.com Get Pink Bridal Show Sunday, March 24th, 2013 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm Newport Marriott Hotel Admission is $5.00 Per Person All proceeds benefit The Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation A Few Reasons Why you Must Attend: Gather expert advice and unique ideas for your wedding Bid in our Signature Silent Bridal Auction Name your price for products and services from RI's premier wedding professionals Check out current bridal fashions at our exciting runway show Pre-registered Brides are exclusively entered in the draw to Win our Newport Mini-Moon! plus VIP entrance to the show

The beginning, Bridal Venue, Bed and Breakfast, Hotel, Lodging, Newport / Middletown Rhode Island, Villa 120

How did this english woman come ashore in Newport Rhode Island?  A question which never seems to take long for customers to ask.  Why pick Newport?  Why a B&B?

Am I barking mad?!!  Sometimes I can assure you - I do ask myself this question - but 98% of the time I am where I want to be doing what I enjoy and living the american dream which frankly will never die .....unless your NOT prepared to work for it!

This journey has certainly had a few curve balls but if you know me you know I may sink but never drown!

Living in Wimbledon London was great, two young girls, a nice house in a good neighbourhood and only 30 minutes from central London via tube (the London underground).   I often met friends in London to visit the Tate, National Portrait Gallery, Covent Garden, Green Park, The Ritz, Kensington High Street to shop, not just for clothes but also lovely groceries the list can go on.  A night at the Theatre with pre dinner at Rules - the oldest restaurant in London that was actually frequented by Charles Dickens so they say - a warm, cozy, totally British affair - game at the top of its menu.  So why when I love London would I possibly want to leave - no it was not simply the weather!

Believe it or not I have had a yen for America since my early 20's - being a trolley dolly you get the joy of travelling the world the only ambition I had since throwing up all the way on a plane from London to Hong Kong aged 7 - even then I walked off the plane and exclaimed I was going to be a Stewardess or as they say now 'Cabin Attendant', much to everyones amusement!

The passion for travel has never ceased, a passion I have passed onto my girls and the one passion that still excites me.  Nothing educates you, opens up your mind more than exploring other countries, other people, their religion, their architecture, their traditions, core values etc etc etc.  Many times it is the most simple yet beautiful acts of kindness that leave and imprint on your life.  One of my most treasured and early memories was of Lan our housekeeper in Hong Kong.  Lan had six children and lived in a chinese village the area of the house was no larger than 40 square feet, that embraced living area, kitchen and bedroom.  There was a ladder to climb up to the sleeping area and downstairs became the living and eating area.  One year we were very honoured when Lan invited us to her home for Chinese New Year.  When I close my eyes I can still see everything as if it were yesterday, Lan's husband had taken off the front door so it could be our table.  Lan chased and cut the throat of the chicken and on her knees drained the blood and plucked the poor soul!  I was horrifed at the time but obviously not horrified enough to abstain!  The celebration was all about lifes most important gifts, people, food, love and laughter.  I recall liking the mooncake and being scolded for asking for more, Lan had very little yet she gave us a feast fit for a King but more than that she gave herself and a lasting memory of the true value of life.   Quite simple really - one wonders how and why so many people lose site of this.

Somehow I went astray - I guess that is where memory lane takes you.





                                                     

                     

The America's Cup Pre-Races, Venue, Bed and Breakfast, Hotel, Lodging, Newport / Middletown Rhode Island, Villa 120

I had lunch at Oceancliff last Sunday to watch the America's Cup Pre-Races. Sitting right on the water, I enjoyed lunch in the sunshine with friends while overlooking the bay.

Oceancliff is a fabulous location for weddings, and as we sat there watching the America's Cup boats, I also had the chance to admire the tent at Castle Hill, which was a magnificent sight and another beautiful wedding venue.

Having a good relationship with both of these wedding venues is something that Villa 120 has accomplished, and while brides get married at these beautiful locations, they often stay at Villa 120.

Overall, a fabulous day with friends and a chance to preview what the 2012 America's Cup has to offer!