The Blenheim Suite...

Welcome to day 6 of the tour. Today we are sharing what has, surprisingly, turned out to be our most popular suite, The Blenheim Suite. I had always thought that the Brideshead suite would be our most popular, simply because it was the largest, and I thought that people might find my choice of decoration for this room too idiosyncratic.

We took our inspiration from the 18th century Chinoiserie-styled rooms popular in English country houses of the time. After hunting for quite a while to find the right wallpaper we settled on this turquoise paper by Zoffany. We really liked the crimson birds and pomegranates which punctuate the trellis-like branches and leaves. We then found a silk which complemented the colourings with which me made the curtains and had the bed upholstered. I found the throw pillows in Miami and brought them back with me (and people say accurate colour memory doesn't exist!). In time we are going to have a counterpane and top pillow covers made in a complimentary fabric, and possibly a corona with drapes behind the headboard. This is one room where less is not more.

Above: Bedside details.

Below: A sconce and headboard detail.

Above and below: Prints of a peacock and of a Chinese emperor, and sconces with a little blue and white jars. I suspect that in time the prints will be replaced with original artwork, and the jars replaced with finer antique ginger jars.

For now they are rather jolly accents...

The en suite has gray and white marble, with a matching vanity and mirror and nickel sconce lights with opaque glass tubing. The nickel matches the taps and gives the bathroom an Edwardian elegance.

We will share a few photos of the master suite at a later stage, but tomorrow we will be unveiling the Ballroom and Music Room for the first time. Join us then to see our own petit homage to the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles, and how the piano was shifted into place.