The Cupola Room is the principal state room of the palace, and the most lavishly decorated.

The dominant architectural elements of the room are the giant Ionic pilasters and the massive grey marble doorways supported by Ionic columns. Kent made extensive use of trompe l’oeil and much of the architectural decoration is painted, including the fluting of the pilasters and the carving of the moldings to the bases.

The four, twelve-branch chandeliers, suspended from the mouths of the painted heads on the ceiling, are reproductions of the lost originals made by the firm of Gumley and Moore in 1727-4. They also supplied furniture for the room, including a set of fine marble-topped side tables supported on sphinxes; these have long since been removed.

The Cupola Room

6 Comments CherryPie on Feb 13th 2010

6 Responses to “Kensington – The Cupola Room”

  1. Chrissy says:

    Some gorgeous photos here. I very much like the one of the staircase too…beautiful and somewhere I have never managed to get to.

  2. jameshigham says:

    Magnifique – who needs Versailles?

  3. Phidelm says:

    I love the way the trompe l’oeil pilaster strips are outlined in gold, echoing the statues in the niches and the gilt arms of the chandelier. It’s breathtakingly gorgeous, but not over-the-top (as continental baroque architecture & design can be). Thank you again for the visit.