Specialist Decorating for Historic Buildings
The King’s Observatory, also called the Kew Observatory for many years, is a Grade I listed building located in an impressive parkland setting of several acres in Old Deer Park in Richmond near London. Nicola Thwaites Specialist Decorating was pleased to play a part in the restoration of this beautiful and historically significant Georgian building.
From Observatory to Dwelling
King George III commissioned the Observatory in 1769 to witness the 1769 Transit of Venus. Sir William Chambers, one of the nation’s leading architects, designed the Observatory in the Early Classical Revival Style. (He also designed Somerset House and the Pagoda in Kew Gardens.) The observatory has a rusticated ground floor, an octagonal room in the centre, and a revolving dome on the roof platform that housed the telescopes. From 1910 to 1980, then-renamed Kew Observatory was the home of the UK’s Meteorological Office. The building was re-designated as a private dwelling in 2014.
Wood grained ‘flamed’ mahogany doors
During the restoration of this historic building, Nicola Thwaites Specialist Decorating was tasked with applying a rich ‘flamed’ mahogany wood-grained finish to all of the principle doors to recreate their original appearance in the late 18th century. During this period, mahogany was used extensively for fine furniture and cabinetry. Flamed mahogany is produced by cutting wood from where a branch meets the trunk of a mahogany tree. It was especially prized thanks to its distinctive wood grain pattern, which resembles flames or waterfalls.
Wood graining and marbling are two of our core offerings in specialist decorating for historic buildings. We reproduced this lustrous flamed mahogany effect in paint by using traditional wood graining techniques and applying layers of tinted, workable glazes.
Nicola Thwaites Specialist Decorating offers a range of faux finishes and specialist decorating for historic buildings. Feel free to contact us to discuss your project.
