mz wallace: FINALLY TO CHATSWORTH

23 Eylül 2012 Pazar

FINALLY TO CHATSWORTH - INTERIORS

What a gorgeous day at Chatsworth. Just look at those colors!Certainly, we were meant to be there on a day like this.

I suspect you know that Chatsworth is home to the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire.
And, of course, you are fully aware that Chatsworth was used for the exterior shots of the 2005 film Pride and Prejudice.

The famous Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, lived at Chatsworth.
You probably read all about her in Amanda Foreman's excellent biography.

Deborah Mitford Cavendish, the current Dowager Duchess of Devonshire
Her biography Wait for Me!: Memoirs is a delight.

How about a tour of the interiors of this majestic estate? The artwork is astounding.
Paintings, sculptures, tapestries, wood carvings, metalworks, and more fill Chatsworth up to the attics.

Paintings by Thomas Gainsborough, John Singer Sargent, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir, are just a few of the artists in the Chatsworth collection.

Paintings fill up the walls along the hallways

and on the ceiling of the grand entrance hall.

And tucked under those gorgeous stairs in the entrance hall is a ping pong table for family fun.

Dazzling porcelains all lined up
Perfect illustration as to why grouping collections has such impact

Hand painted Chinese wallpaper from 1830
I loved this so much that I bought several items in the gift shop depicting this pattern

The Mary, Queen of Scots room
A little cramped but I'll take it

Picture taken in honor of my sweet niece, Ellie.

Different chair but love the fabric combination

Don't you just want to crawl into that bed, pull tight the bed hangings, sleep the sleep of the just,
and then be awakened with tea and toast served on a tray?

And how about ending the day in the library?
Sitting in one of those cosy chairs (I'm thinking the dark green velvet chair on the left side would be perfect), reading a good book in the middle of a 'dark and stormy night' is my idea of heaven.