The Biltmore Estate sits nestled in Asheville, North Carolina. Named America’s Largest Home, the house has a rich history in the area, and a unique mission of “preservation, restoration, and conservation.”
Aligning Values
With aligning interest in doing everything we can to help the environment, Victoria Eggs is pleased to announce her latest work with Biltmore Estate to create a bespoke design celebrating the grounds and gardens, as well as its rich history and contribution to the area.
Under the leading vision of George Vanderbilt, the Biltmore Estate construction began in 1889 and finished, opening its doors to friends and family, in 1895. It remained a private residence until 1930, when Cornelia and John Cecil opened the house for the public to enjoy, and has remained an iconic tourist attraction ever since. From the beginning, the estate has had a passionate mission of preservation. Designer Frederick Law Olmsted, also known as the father of American landscape architecture and has most notably designed the iconic Central Park in New York City, was in charge of designing the gardens and outdoor areas of the estate. The Biltmore Estate grounds were his final project and inspired America’s first step into scientific forestry.
Early on, Olmsted figured out that George Vanderbilt’s vision of extensive parks and gardens on the estate could not be so easily enacted onto the landscape, as the land was in poor condition and simply putting down roots would not be sustainable in the long run. He suggested utilizing scientific forestry to create a self-sustaining landscape that would benefit the estate’s lands for many years to come. It is from Olmsted and Vanderbilt’s original vision that the nation’s first scientific forestry management program was created, bringing practices that had been utilized for many years prior in Europe to America for the first time ever.
Currently, the Biltmore Estate remains owned by the Vanderbilt family, who actively continue to contribute to their legacy of preservation. Through their fervent environmental stewardship, they ensure that George Vanderbilt’s vision for the Biltmore Estate to be a self-sustaining estate that would nurture the land and its resources for generations to come remains an indelible fact. Through energy efficiency such as solar power, LED lighting, and biodiesel; forestry practices such as becoming a certified tree farm and optimizing forest health; and agricultural practices such as their Monarch butterfly migration support, waterway management, and field-to-table program, the Biltmore Estate aims to maintain their focus on the environment and lead the way in sustainability initiatives.
The Design
Having met at a trade show in New York in 2019, Victoria has created five collections for the Biltmore estate; three Christmas collections, a set of four seasonal tea cups and saucers, and the new every day range.
After careful deliberation and research into the history of the estate, Victoria Eggs has created a design that features the main Biltmore House and flowers from the expansive and extensive Biltmore Gardens. Intricately hand-drawn imagery of daffodils, hydrangeas, orchids, poppies, wisteria, cherry blossom, roses, and tulips grace the design, serving as a reminder not only of the gardens but of the Biltmore Estate’s extensive environmental conservation. Nestled amongst the iconic flowers is another hand-drawn design of the main Biltmore House — the building that started it all.
The design is printed in four colours: maroon, pink, yellow, and green; and will be featured on a bauble, mug, apron, and tea towel. All Victoria Eggs baubles and mugs are lovingly handcrafted from fine bone china, made from Cornish clay, in Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire, UK — known as the heart of The Potteries. Our textiles are all handmade in the UK, with the design screen-printed onto 100% cotton.
We are pleased to be working with the iconic Biltmore Estate and gardens once again. Our new design will be sold throughout the year and will be available for purchase online and in-store at the Biltmore Estate, alongside the seasonal tea cups and saucers.
