Standing 12 feet tall, the fresh evergreen in the gentlemen’s parlor features burgundy ribbons woven among the branches, where large gold and burgundy glass ornaments, including hand-blown finials, are illuminated by strands of twinkling lights. The French Louis XVI gilt armchair is part of a parlor suite the Rushings brought from their home in Louisiana; two of the family’s embroidered stockings, holding special gifts, rest atop the seat. The beautiful French Aubusson carpet that anchors the room was sourced from The Brittany House Antiques at Oak Hill.
Beside the gentlemen’s parlor, the well-stocked library brims with hundreds of volumes, many pertaining to the medical field; Sylvia is the third generation of doctors in the Burson family. A mid-nineteenth-century marble-top center table, attributed to noted American cabinetmaker John Henry Belter, is one of Tom’s favorite pieces. The original gilt pier mirror with bronze girandole is framed with garland and adorned with a wreath made of fresh greenery.
