Begin the tour by getting a ticket at the ticket booth and deciding whether you want to use a guide or explore on your own. The entrance loggia on the west side of the house is dominated by a marble bathtub from Pompeii. Beyond it is the central courtyard, which was originally open to the elements but now is covered with a skylight so that the furnishings and artwork inside the house can be preserved in a controlled climate.
Proceed from the Directoire-style entrance hall into the Adam-style library, which includes a Sheraton bookcase and chairs that once belonged to Princess Pauline Borghese. Take the north arcade to the reception room. Though it's furniture is of the Louis XV style, it's wall panels and ceiling are Italian rather than French. Pass the main staircase and go to the Renaissance Hall, a rather formal living room dominated by an enormous French chimney piece. The rugs and chandeliers are from Spain. Adjoining this is the organ room, pipe organs being an essential part of home entertainment in the American mansions of the early twentieth century.
Pass through the east loggia with its Chinese bowls and Italian doors and into the Italian Rococo music room, which is furnished with the pipe organ console, harp and spinet. Move on into the column-lined Banquet Hall, where Deering held formal lunches. The chairs and sideboard are Italian. Walk down the south arcade to the tea room, which overlooks the formal gardens and features lofty eighteenth-century Italian gates. The southwest corner of the house on this floor includes service room and a flower-arranging room. There are servant's rooms on a mezzanine level between the first and second floors.
Walk up to the second floor, which includes three guest rooms on the north side and Mr. Deering's sitting room on the northeast corner. The latter features a mixture of Louis XVII, Directoire and Adam decor. To the right of this are Deering's Empire-style bedroom and marble bathroom with a ceiling designed to resemble a tent. Both have views of the bay. Two more guest rooms and a sitting room occupy the southeast end of the house.
Continue along the gallery to the Chinoiserie breakfast room, which is located over the tea room. This was Deering's favorite place to eat. In the southwest corner are the kitchen, servant's hall and several pantries. And while it may seem odd to have a kitchen on the second floor instead of the first, Deering had plenty of servants to lug his food around. The third floor includes several more guest rooms. The basement features an indoor/outdoor pool, billiard room and other spaces for informal entertainment.
Go outside and explore the grounds. A stone barge serves as a breakwater by the east side of the house, where guests arrived by boat. A formal terraced garden extends to the east, culminating in a stone pavilion called the "Casino" and a canal.
