North Octagonal Room
James and Dolley Madison used this first-floor guest bedroom so often that Jefferson’s grandchildren simply called it “Mr. Madison’s Room.” The Madison’s home, Montpelier, is located about 30 miles north of Monticello, a distance that required an entire day of travel. Guests tended to make the most of their stay when travel took so long, and the Madisons’ visits often lasted several weeks or even a month.
Dimensions: 14' 10" × 15' 3"; ceiling 10' 0"
Order: Tuscan
Source: Palladio
Color: French wallpaper – the original trellis pattern has been reproduced.[1]
Architectural features: Alcove bed with a closet overhead; octagonal design, based on one of Jefferson's favorite architectural shapes; triangle-shaped closet to complete the octagon; triple-sash windows, used in many rooms on the first floor and serving as both doorway and ventilation device; interior shutters, used throughout the first floor for privacy and insulation
- updated Monticello guide staff, 2017
Objects Displayed in This Room
References
- ^ The reproduction wallpaper seen here was made by F. Schumacher & Co. as part of their Colonial Williamsburg collection in the 1990s.