Queen Charlotte’s Cottage is an early example of a cottage orné, a rustic cottage built as a country retreat rather than as a residence.
It was an ideal location for a modest retreat where the Queen and the rest of the Royal family could enjoy private picnics or take tea during long summer walks through the gardens.
The cottage overlooked a new menagerie, which was first home to pheasants and other exotic birds, but by 1792 also contained some of the first kangaroos to arrive in Britain.
The walls and ceiling of the tent-like room on the first floor are embellished with paintings of bamboo, nasturtium and convolvulus. These are believed to be the work of Princess Elizabeth, who is known to have added floral garlands to wall panels in Frogmore House at Windsor. She, the Princess Royal, and the Queen were taught flower painting by Francis Bauer, Kew’s resident botanical artist.
The walls of the Print Room have been painted in a green verditer colour that I matched from a fragment of wallpaper found in Kew Palace. My company Papers and Paints produced the paint for this project.
I have colour-matched colours uncovered during paint investigations elsewhere in the building and advised on technical matters.
[...] worked on and restored an incredible number of historic buildings and structures, ranging from Queen Charlotte’s Cottage at Kew to the Tower Bridge. He’s one of my favorite sources of inspiration and research, and the [...]
I ADORE this building! I will have to come visit … we intend getting to UK next year. I particularly love the print room with all the pictures…stunning!
It is well worth a visit, although check that it is open before your visit. P
[...] worked on and restored an incredible number of historic buildings and structures, ranging from Queen Charlotte’s Cottage at Kew to the Tower Bridge. He’s one of my favorite sources of inspiration and research, and the [...]