Richard Morris Hunt, the Dean of American Architecture, designed Le Chalet on Bellevue Avenue in Newport in 1870. Hunt chose the Stick Style for the 9,700 square-foot summer cottage after garnering significant attention for his Stick Style design of the Griswold House, now the NewportArt Museum. Hunt’s original plans for Le Chalet called for an ornate Stick Style edifice, extensive porches, cast iron roof cresting, and a large two-story carriage house. However, these plans, especially the interiors, were believed to be scaled back at the time of construction. Le Chalet had a succession of owners, each of whom made minor alterations to the home. When the clients purchased the property the house had lost significant detail on its east elevation, was in a neglected state and warranted a full renovation.
