Why our mineral-based heritage paints were chosen by main contractor Castellum, for a retrofit at Grosvenor Estate.
How we turned five English Heritage properties into a heritage paint collection
A summer visit to an English Heritage property is as good a place as any to plan your next paint scheme. If you’re visiting one of these five properties—Kenwood, Eltham Palace, Marble Hill, Wrest Park or Chiswick House and Gardens—you’re walking through the inspiration behind our newest colour collection.
Created in partnership with English Heritage, the English Heritage Colour Collection is designed to work beautifully in homes of all kinds – whether you’re restoring a Grade I listed home or just want to bring a little historical depth to your hallway. The 24 exclusive shades were drawn directly from original paints, wallpapers and fabrics found inside these beloved properties.
Read on to see what to look for if you’re visiting this summer. You might come home with a new favourite wall colour.
Wrest Park – French Baroque Meets English Landscape
Location: Silsoe, Bedfordshire | Era: 19th Century
© Historic England. English Heritage Trust
This one’s all about long gravel paths, warm stonework and formal gardens that seem to go on forever. Wrest Park is full of quiet drama, and the palette reflects it: soft neutrals, leafy greens, and a flash of golden yellow.
Colours to look for:
Bath Stone, Golden Pheasant, Eldorado, De Grey, Pavilion
Design guidance: A composed mix of warm heritage tones and cooler green-blues — ideal for living spaces, panelling or areas that balance period character with comfort.
© Historic England. English Heritage Trust
If you go: Be sure to find the Eldorado wallpaper — a vivid 19th-century Zuber design featuring flora and fauna that inspired one of our most characterful shades.
Did you know? Wrest Park’s landscape design reflects a blend of French and English garden styles, developed over 150 years, and includes one of the few surviving early 18th-century garden buildings in England — the Archer Pavilion.
Eltham Palace – Art Deco Elegance in a Historic Setting
Location: Eltham, Southeast London | Era: 1930s
© Historic England. English Heritage Trust
A short distance from central London, Eltham Palace is a striking combination of medieval architecture and 1930s glamour. The original great hall remains from its Tudor past, while the main interiors were transformed in the 1930s by the Courtauld family into a showcase of modern Art Deco design.
Colours to look for:
Yellow Ochre, The Map Room, Butler’s Green, Gables Green, Notebook, Maple, Mah-Jongg, Blackbean
Design guidance: Strong contrasts and tailored tones that echo the clean geometry and richness of 1930s interiors.
If you go: Step inside the Map Room — an original feature from the 1930s — or look closely at the inlaid timber, lacquered finishes and bold colour contrasts throughout the house.
Did you know? Eltham Palace was home to the Courtauld family, who introduced Art Deco interiors into a building with centuries of architectural history. It was also recently featured by Dezeen as part of their celebration of 100 years of Art Deco architecture.
Kenwood – Neoclassical with a Modern Art Twist
© Historic England. English Heritage Trust
Location: Hampstead, London | Era: 18th Century
Set on a hill overlooking Hampstead Heath, Kenwood is full of neoclassical symmetry, but the interiors feel surprisingly contemporary. Soft neutrals meet cool blues with a fresh, easy rhythm.
Colours to look for:
Kenwood Cream, Deal Stairs, Dressing Room, Entrance Hall Blue, Mansfield’s Blue
Design guidance: These shades work especially well in spaces with good light and clean architectural lines.
© Historic England. English Heritage Trust
If you go: Visit the Entrance Hall and Library — their colour and light relationships helped guide several of the palette’s tones.
Did you know? Kenwood House is home to a world-class collection of art, including works by Rembrandt, Vermeer and Turner.
Marble Hill – Palladian Harmony in Georgian England
Location: Twickenham, Greater London | Era: Early 18th Century
© Historic England. English Heritage Trust
Built for Henrietta Howard, a woman of influence in Georgian court circles, Marble Hill is one of the finest examples of Palladian villa design in England. Inside, its interiors are defined by symmetry, subtlety, and carefully layered decoration — including rare chinoiserie wallpapers and damask silks.
Colours to look for:
Chinoiserie, Lacewing, Parlour Pink, Red Damask, Glemham Silk
Design guidance: A palette of soft yellows, warm pinks and deep reds that works beautifully in both formal and relaxed settings.
If you go: Look for the hand-painted Chinese wallpaper in the Dining Parlour, recreated by de Gournay in 2006 using original scans. This room inspired several of the collection’s shades.
Did you know? Marble Hill was built between 1724 and 1729 as a retreat from court life. The house is set within 66 acres of riverside parkland and was designed by some of the most prominent Palladian architects of the era.
Chiswick House and Gardens
Location: West London | Era: Early 18th Century
Commissioned by the 3rd Earl of Burlington in the 1720s, Chiswick House is one of the clearest expressions of British Palladian architecture. Its 65-acre grounds helped launch the English Landscape Movement, combining classical proportion with sweeping garden views.
Colour to look for: Smalt Blue
If you go: Look for the blue gates on the estate. Their striking colour inspired Smalt Blue.
Did you know? Chiswick’s conservatory is home to the world’s largest collection of heritage camellias grown under glass.
Bring the Collection into Your Space
Seen something you’d like to try? Our Peel & Stick Samples make it easy to test any of the 24 English Heritage shades at home – no paintbrush needed. You’ll get a feel for how each colour works in your space, under your light, alongside your furnishings.
Prefer to plan digitally? Head to our Room Visualiser to preview tones across walls, trim and joinery before you commit.
Walls painted in Kenwood Cream.
FAQs About the English Heritage Colour Collection
Q. What is the English Heritage Colour Collection?
A palette of 24 exclusive shades developed in partnership with English Heritage, inspired by original paints, wallpapers and textiles found at five of their most beloved properties.
Q. Which properties inspired the colours?
The collection draws from five English Heritage properties: Kenwood, Eltham Palace, Marble Hill, Wrest Park, and Chiswick House and Gardens. These properties informed the palette with tones found across Georgian, Victorian, and Art Deco periods.
Q. Are these paints suitable for listed buildings?
Yes — the colours are available in our GCS mineral-based paint, which is fully breathable and suitable for traditional materials like lime plaster and stone. Ideal for Grade I and Grade II listed buildings.
Q. Where can I see or test the colours?
You can order Peel & Stick Samples, use the online Room Visualiser, or browse the full Colour Card to explore combinations in context.
Graphenstone Paints is proud to be in partnership with English Heritage, the charity that cares for more than 400 of England’s most cherished historic sites. For every purchase made, a proportion of the proceeds will go to English Heritage and help to preserve more than 400 of the charity’s historic sites across the country.
Related Posts
Comments (0)