Over the next five years, he restored the house to its original grandeur and turned it into a Victorian-style bed-and-breakfast called Edgewood Manor . The results of his labor s are spectacular . The handsomely furnished mansion truly is, as its motto proclaims, "an elegant reminder of Rhode Island's opulent past."
The house, built in 1905 in Cranston's Edgewood neighborhood just across Narragansett Bay from Providence, is a gorgeous showcase for a bounty of stained glass, crystal chandeliers, oak floors, stately fireplaces, intricately carved woodwork, and striking antiques. It's like a living museum where you can roam freely and touch the collections.
Overdone, this luxurious decor could have been stuffy and claustrophobic. Instead, it strikes the perfect balance of formality and comfort, and the vast house easily absorbs the period fixtures and furnishings while remaining roomy and inviting. Website photos of Edgewood Manor make the place look imposing and a bit pretentious, but staying there is the opposite experience.
The house is a grand beauty -- from the handsome foyer with ornate ceilings, to the sweeping staircase, to the majestic chiming of the grandfather clock, to our elegant second-floor room, called the Victorian, which stretches from the front of the house to the back and has windows on three sides. Its spaciousness supplied plenty of room for a four-poster king-size mahogany bed, working fireplace, sitting area, and private marble bathroom. The room had modern amenities, too, including air conditioning, cable TV, a phone, an alarm clock, and a hair dryer. There are also whirlpool tubs in five of the nine guest rooms and Wi-Fi throughout the house, which has a rich history.
