Massachusetts' Mansion Hidden In The Heart Of The Berkshires Boasts Beautiful English Countryside Vibes

If you drive across the state of Massachusetts, you get a sense of how gorgeous and diverse its scenery is, with forested hills, tranquil lakes, and brilliant foliage that colors the view red and orange come autumn. It's no wonder that many of America's elite chose the state as the site of their most decadent homes, from the historic and luxurious 2,100-acre Crane Estate to the preserved 1768 Jeremiah Lee Mansion in Marblehead, a charming, unsung town on the Massachusetts coast. Opposite the coastline, Massachusetts' western side is where famed writer Edith Wharton chose to settle, within the mountainous region of the Berkshires. The estate, called The Mount, was designed by Wharton herself, and today it's open to the public with exhibitions on the author's life and the building's history.

You might know of Wharton for her classic American novels "The House of Mirth" or "Ethan Frome," but it might come as a surprise that the writer was deeply interested in homes and interior decor, too. In fact, she wrote an entire book about it, titled "The Decoration of Houses," in 1897, co-authored with Ogden Codman Jr., who would later become one of the architects of The Mount. In the book, Wharton and Codman divulge how to achieve a calm ambiance through proportionality, prioritize personal needs over transitory trends, and focus on thoughtfully made furniture over superficial gildings. All of these principles became manifest in the home she eventually designed for herself in the Berkshires, where she also wrote two of her most well-known novels. The mansion was completed in 1902, measuring nearly 17,000 square feet and three stories high, and has since been listed as a National Historic Landmark.

You can visit The Mount anytime of year — from May through October it's open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., while in the winter months it's only open on weekends from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The historic home is about an hour drive from the Albany International Airport in New York. You have to pay for admission to go into the house, though it doesn't cost anything to explore the grounds, which are worth exploring as Wharton considered the surrounding gardens to be an important part of the estate on their own. The gardens still preserve most of her original design, which was inspired by the layouts of Italian villas and the flowers of French gardens. Beyond the gardens, the mansion is set among the vibrant leafy scenery of the Berkshires, one of New England's most iconic fall destinations, which, no doubt, would have made a wonderful view out the window for the writer as she drafted her novels.

The Mount's exterior appearance was modeled off of a 17th-century English country house, complete with symmetrical white stucco, classical proportions, and shuttered windows. Step inside, and you'll be greeted by a beautiful arched entrance hall with Italianate touches that hint at the design choices to come. Much of the interior decoration in the house, kept authentic to Wharton's vision, comes from Italian and French influences. While many of the rooms aren't so massive, they're all designed with proportion and deliberate furnishings in mind. One of the standout rooms is Edith Wharton's original library, where you can see her personal collection of books left on the shelves, many left with personal notes and annotations scribbled in their pages. The estate also has a lovely Terrace Café for some refreshments and a bookstore that doubles as an eclectic gift shop.