Camden Place, Bath. Sir Walter Elliot and his family reading.
Thomas Hope (1769–1831), the style icon of the Regency interior, would have been happy with these images of Sir Walter Elliot’s interior of Camden Place in Persuasion 1995. Thomas Hope was known for the “decorative details and ornament based on influences from his nearly ten-year Grand Tour, as well as from motifs from ancient Greece and Egypt.”
Camden Place: A view of the Drawing Room
Hope’s startling juxtaposition of styles included Egyptian, Greek, Roman and Indian elements, as well as his own version of the French Empire style. Classical sculpture and vases were displayed alongside modern paintings and sculpture. Most striking of all was the inventive and exotic furniture that Hope designed specifically for the house. – Exhibition, Thomas Hope, V&A Museum
Camden Place: Dining Room (Anne and Elizabeth Elliot and Mrs. Clay)
From these images it is quite obvious that the set designer of this film chose furniture and draperies that for the Regency era would have been regarded as ultra fashionable. Sir Walter might have moved from Kellynch Hall to reduce his expenses, but his tastes remain expensive and he shows no inclination to follow the rules of economy.
More on the Topic
- Thomas Hope: Design a Room
- Thomas Hope: Household Furniture and Interior Decoration
- Thomas Hope: Duchess Street
Thomas Hope: Regency Designer
Like designers of his day, Sir Thomas Hope drew his planned room design ahead of time. Witness the following whole room design:
Jane Austen's World 