When we initially toured the Taylor Estate, the site of the Richmond Symphony League’s 2023 Designer House, we were immediately awestruck by the gardens surrounding the property.
And it’s no wonder! The Taylor Estate gardens were designed by renowned landscape architect Charles Freeman Gillette.
Gillette lived and designed in Richmond from 1912-1969. During his 56-year career, he designed approximately 2,500 projects. The majority of his commissions were for residential landscapes, including the Taylor Estate. According to the Cultural Landscape Foundation, “his remaining projects consisted of site plans for residential communities, hospitals, churches, country clubs, private colleges, secondary schools, historic garden restorations, commercial and industrial properties” throughout Virginia and North Carolina, along with a few in the midwest and northeast. Gillette’s other notable Richmond projects include Virginia House and Agecroft Hall.
Gillette was best known for his stylistic eclecticism, and his work often contained strong regional overtones. French, English, and Italian Renaissance traditions were notably present in his work, supplemented with themes from 18th century Virginia gardens such as: an axial organization of multilevel terraces; highly crafted masonry construction; elegant, finely detailed garden structures; and planting design that emphasized fragrance, seasonal color, shade, and strong volumetric expression through the use of massed evergreens.
Though overgrown, the gardens at the Taylor Estate are stunning. We knew they’d be the perfect setting for a photoshoot, so we packed up our most fitting pieces and headed outside.
We love how the upholstered pieces stand out against the moody dark green foliage and natural elements. As if channeling Gillette’s sense of stylistic eclecticism, photographer Nick Davis managed to capture the furniture in a way that makes us think still life + nature photography.
We loved the photos so much that we decided to feature them in this year’s Richmond Scout Guide. They’re a beautiful homage to our beloved hometown, don’t you think? (And for more iconic Richmond + u-fab content, be sure to read our post about our Main Street Station collaboration with Nick Davis. If you haven’t already visit this historical landmark and architectural wonder, you must!)
Read more about the Taylor Estate and this year’s upcoming RSL Designer House on our blog. We can’t wait to invite you inside (and outside, of course!) this fall!
Be sure to follow us on Instagram for a behind-the-scenes look at our design process, and subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to know when tickets are available!
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