wakefield

 

Wakefield is a private home in St. Francisville, Louisiana.  It has a pictureque setting. A unique history.
It was built by the Stirlins,  close relatives of Daniel Turnbull, who built Rosedown.
The story goes that its builder bequeathed a portion of the original house to each of the hiers.
Literally, each took their inheritance, a level of the house each so that the house remaining is substantially smaller than the original.
Still, it is a substantial place. And so say that its contents are substantial is no apt description.
Miss Mimi of Selma encouraged us, as we were leaving her home, to see "the Stirling House" as she called Wakefield because of its amazing Duncan Phyfe Furniture. The furniture, ordered for the house when it was built, remains intact because the part of the original house that remains on its original site was kept by members of the Stirling family and then by subsequent owners who cared to maintain in pristine condition.
My nephew and favorite decorator had been to a Symposium at Wakefield fairly recently. I've not known him necessaily to be shy about such things but he did not say a word about any of that until he until Jolie Berry, who now owns Wakefield with her husband, called him by name.
He shrugged off conversation about pictures and a book but did answer our questions about the house and its priceless antiques. It was like having our own private tour guide.