Chatsworth Collection colours: from historic rooms to natural paints

The Chatsworth Collection draws its inspiration from the enduring palette still found within the house, reflecting colours that have quietly stood the test of time. Each shade is rooted in the character and heritage of the interiors, capturing the depth, elegance and subtle nuances that continue to define its atmosphere.

The colours are inspired by the rich history of Chatsworth, be it the cascade, the local stone or some of the many collected artefacts and works of art.

QUEEN OF SCOTS

Inspired by the Queen of Scots bedroom, where some of the most beautiful draperies fashioned for the house can still be found. Rich floral chintz hangs beneath elaborate hand-made passementerie, giving the room a sense of celebration and grandeur.

Behind the pattern lies a plain silk of peculiarly beautiful steely blue – delicate, yet never cold. From this unexpected contrast comes a paint colour of quiet depth and subtle seriousness.

Shown below in the Stag Parlour.

CYANOTYPE

Inspired by the distinctive blue of a cyanotype print, the photographic process discovered by John Herschel in 1842. Named for ferric ferrocyanide – the compound responsible for its vivid colour – the process helped popularise the intense blue later associated with Prussian Blue. Early examples of cyanotypes can still be found in the Library at Chatsworth House.

Though bold, this blue carries an underlying warmth that makes it inviting rather than cold. It provides a striking backdrop for art and photography, works well in rooms with limited daylight, and gives smaller spaces an enveloping, cheerful character under lamplight.

Cyanotype is shown here in The Grotto at Chatsworth.

SEKHMET

William John Bankes brought a pair of black granite statues of the goddess Sekhmet from Karnak Temple Complex to Chatsworth for the 6th Duke of Devonshire. For many years they stood beside Joseph Paxton’s great conservatory, their dark stone lending a powerful presence to the setting.

The statues’ granite – almost black yet subtly flecked with ochre – inspired this deep ochre-black paint. It has a sculptural richness, with a gentle warmth that reveals itself in changing light.

Painted in the Paxton Hallway at The Pilsley Inn, near Chatsworth House.

“I have evolved a palette of twenty four colours that can be seen as Chatsworth in the blink of an eye.” – Edward Bulmer

OLD KITCHEN

The original kitchen at Chatsworth once served vast dinners for up to forty guests. Today the space survives as the joiners’ shop, and much of its character remains remarkably unchanged.

In William Henry Hunt’s painted view of the room, the masonry and the simple ‘knocked-down’ joinery colour appear much as they do today – a practical warm green, mixed from economical earth pigments and robust enough to withstand the wear of a busy working kitchen. It still gives just-right contrast to Burntwood stone without appearing too light.

FLOCK

Beyond the Great Staircase at Chatsworth runs a lofty corridor hung with floral striped flock wallpaper, one of the earliest decorative schemes introduced to Chatsworth in the 1830s. The ornamental pattern sits on a pale ground, yet its richness comes from the deep green wool flock.

This distinctive green translates beautifully into paint. It suits a moody evening room or a kitchen with generous height. Used as a ‘liveried’ woodwork colour, it gives doors, architraves and skirting a smart uniformity; on walls it pairs especially well with deep, rusty reds.

CHATSWORTH STONE

Chatsworth is a symphony in stone, much of it still quarried on the estate today. Its finely dressed masonry appears both inside and out, giving the house its distinctive character and quiet grandeur.

Even in its greyer moments the stone carries a delicious warmth, which inspired this colour. A warm, gently brown-toned stone shade, it flatters almost anything placed beside it. Robust without feeling heavy, it works beautifully as an all-round wall colour and is particularly elegant on woodwork.

All 24 colours are designed to work in harmony with our existing colour range. For inspiration on using our paint in a period property, our blog Natural Paint for period homes is a great place to start. If you would like advice on where to use these colours in your own home, our brilliant colour consultants are on hand to help and share their expertise.

For more interiors inspiration, may we suggest:

Small interior updates that create a big impact, using natural paint 

East facing rooms transformed: from dawn to dusk with natural paint 

Kitchen cabinet painting with natural paint. A guide for period homes 

Creating a calm sitting room haven 

All photography credits: Anna Batchelor