• Interiors

    A view with a room

    The month of January is named after Janus, the ancient Roman God of new beginnings, gates, transitions and doorways. So today we thought we would share a few of our favourite doorway views which lead through to special rooms. We love the way that this perspective frames the interior beyond giving a glimpse of what’s to come. Hope your year is off to a good start! Burghley House, Haddon Hall, Chillingham Castle, Blenheim, Montacute, Bolsover Castle, Hardwick Hall,…

  • Uncategorized

    Welcome to In the English Style

    Good Morning and a very warm welcome to ‘In the English Style’! If you have followed us recently we would like to say ‘Hello’ and ‘Thank You’ for joining us. We are a Mother/Daughter duo who enjoy sharing our passion for English architecture, interiors, history, art and antiques. We started this page a little over three years ago in the depths of the pandemic lockdowns in the UK. We missed being able to visit stately homes and castles,…

  • Heritage

    The Old vs The New

    One of our goals at ITES is to celebrate English Style and usually this focuses on pre-20th century architecture, art and interiors. Why? Because we love it! But how do we all feel about more modern examples and in particular how they sit alongside our older heritage? Here are some examples of newer art, architecture, furniture, and even fashion sitting alongside more recognisable earlier English style. We’d love to know your thoughts. Surely English Style should continue to…

  • Interiors

    Chase away the Monday Blues

    .. with our quick quiz, designed to test your knowledge of English interiors on a blue theme. How many of the locations of these historic interiors can you identify? They have all been featured on our Instagram page in the past.

  • Heritage

    Lost houses of England

    We were so interested to read all your comments on our post about Sutton Scarsdale. It’s clear that these derelict or lost houses of England draw passionate interest from many and have left an indelible mark on our national consciousness. Our family has connections with the lost Rushbrooke Hall in Suffolk. It was a beautiful Tudor building laid out in the shape of an E. My Grandfather once stayed there for a night whilst researching its history. The…

  • Heritage

    The fate of one English Country House

    If you are driving North on the M1 in Derbyshire, you might spot the majestic ruins of Sutton Scarsdale high up on the hill. Its roof is open to the sky, the sash windows are empty and the once fine interiors have been removed. This historic house was built between 1724 and 1729, for the 4th Earl of Scarsdale. He commissioned the architect Francis Smith to skilfully incorporate the earlier building of about 1469 within its layout. The…

  • Heritage

    Chatsworth at New Year

    The library at Chatsworth looked stunning this morning, with a traditional tree and stars as accents. There was a time when our English Stately Homes closed from October to March but their festive openings now bring in much needed income to keep them going. Chatsworth was thronging with visitors this morning. Tickets to the house had sold out, the gardens were busy and it was hard to find a free table in the cafes. Whilst some might feel…

  • Heritage

    The Green Writing Room at Blenheim

    As we sit down to write our thank you letters to friends and relations for all of the thoughtful gifts they sent us, this elegant writing room at Blenheim came to mind. The Blenheim Tapestry takes pride of place against green silk damask walls bearing the Churchill family’s coat of arms. The portraits include the first Sir Winston Churchill who was born in 1620 (not shown here). He was a staunch Royalist who was stripped of his home…

  • Interiors

    The Great Dining Room: Chatsworth House

    Following yesterday’s post of Charles Cavendish’s portrait, by Sir Anthony van Dyck, we thought that we would share the painting in situ at Chatsworth House, in Derbyshire. We love the ruby red walls in this stunning setting. Red often appears to be the choice for dining room walls in many stately homes across the country, probably due to a theory that the colour increases the appetite. It also provides a delicious backdrop, particularly for the rich palettes of…