Saltram Part 6

 Our next room at Saltram is the piece de resistance for entertaining.  The Salon. I should mention that the ballroom did not have the chandeliers during the Regency era. Instead when they were having a ball they put up lamps over the windows and candles over the doors and concealed them with wreaths and festoons of leaves and flowers.  Health and Safety would definitely not approve it seems to me. Talk about a fire hazard.  I still wonder how they managed to light the middle of the room if they were only lighting the perimeter. But this is what happened in 1810, so a nice description of a real event.

Other neat bits of information, the band played in a tent outside of the great window and playeddances all right. The floor was "chalked" in a design by the hostess by a celebrated artist from Plymouth and they had two rows of seats around the edge of the room for about 200 people.  What an amazing image.

By the way that window in the middle there, with two columns and a bit of a portico, is known as a Venetian window.  The concave ceiling is beautiful. I can only capture a bit of it, but hopefully you can get the idea.

The carpet is Axminster. It cost  L126 and was desiged to mirror the ceiling. the reason for the furniture going around the edge of the room is to show it off. And here is the other wall with the fireplace. I just love the these giltwood Chippendale sofas.


Finally, while there are lots of pictures of a collector time, I picked this one, as he is such a regency looking gentleman, though it is dated around 1785, a Baron and neighbour and friend. A very personal touch.  The walls were originally blue damask which over time faded to dove grey according to account.

Clearly there is much more to see and know about in this room, but on we go.

Until next time, Happy Rambles.