Modern Home Designs: english country homes

When we visited the Theodore Alexander showroom in High Point, we learned that they have an entire Althorp Collection of reproduction furniture. Althorp is a stately English home in Northamptonshire that is owned by the Spencer family. While it has over 500 years of history, it is best known as the childhood home of Princess Diana and serves as her final resting place. As you can imagine, it is very expensive to maintain a home of this size and historic significance which is why Charles Spencer authorized a collection of Althorp reproductions at Theodore Alexander initially to help pay for a new roof. There was also an attic sale at Christie's last year. We were not allowed to take photos in the Theodore Alexander showroom so I thought it would be fun to look at the home that inspired the collection. We can't all live in such a magnificent splendor but it is fun to know that we can own the same furniture.

On a side note, actor Max Irons, son of Jeremy Irons, was recently photographed by Jason Bell for Vanity Fair at Althorp. All the photos with the handsome young man are from that shoot and the black and white photos are a vintage look at Althorp. There is also a video online of Max Irons at Althorp that gives you an even better look at this stunning house and grounds. Enjoy!

Max Irons in Wooton Hall

The Library

The South Drawing Room

The Billiard Room

The State Dining Room

The Great Room

The Sunderland Room

The Picture Gallery

The Painters Hallway

The Saloon

The Marlborough Room

King William Bedroom

Max Irons in the King William Bedroom

Oak Bedroom

Prince of Wales Bedroom

Max Irons in the Wine Cellar

The Stables are now home to the Princess Diana exhibition.

A photo of the Stables taken in 1921

Whenever it rains, I think of England. I'm obsessed with English manor homes lately. I think it stems from the fact that other than Biltmore Estate, we don't have anything like them in the United States. Actually, most of the English homes are older than the United States! Port Eliot seen here is over 500 years old and is set on 6,000 acres in Cornwall , England. It is home to Peregrine Nicholas Eliot, the tenth Earl of St. Germans and his wife Catherine, The Countess of St. Germans. It was featured in Vogue Living in 2007 and has been a favorite ever since. The ninth Earl and his wife were also photographed for Vogue by Horst and were featured in his 1968 book Vogue's Book of Houses, Gardens, People.

I almost bought a book about English homes at the flea market this weekend but didn't because it had been marked up in red pen. I wish I had now because I'm sure Port Eliot would have been listed. Of course, we Americans who love our instant heat and hot water would probably not enjoy living in these old homes so it's probably best that we don't have any here. But you can always visit and tour Port Eliot when it's open to the public for 100 days each year. You just might want to wear your Barbour jacket and Wellies in case it rains. Cheerio!