Inside history’s most opulent English houses

When it came to depicting the timeless beauty of England’s historic homes, interior designer David Mlinaric faced a tricky question: “Where shall I begin?”

In his new book “Great English Interiors,” produced with photographer and long-time collaborator Derry Moore, the designer looks at five centuries of England’s finest interior designs, from the lavish dining room at Waddesdon Manor – inspired by Louis XIV’s state apartments at Versailles – to a white stone hall built for Britain’s first prime minister.

Waddesdon Manor, Buckinghamshire —

The dining room in Waddesdon Manor was inspired by Louis XIV's state apartments at Versailles.

Syon House, Suffolk —

Architect Robert Adam designed the Elizabethan library for Syon House.

Spencer House, London —

The seats pictured here, upholstered with green silk damask, were specially commissioned for this room.

Houghton Hall, Norfolk —

Architect William Kent was a lead designer behind this white stone hall in Norfolk.

Ham House, Surrey —

The ornate green closet in Ham House is typical of the high culture at an English court.

Knole House, Kent —

This is one of three long galleries on the first floor of Knole House.

Haddon Hall, Derbyshire —

The long gallery at Haddon Hall is made of natural surfaces of wood, stone and plasters, with no added color.

Pauline De Rothschild's Albany set, London —

The drawing room in this mansion was influenced by French, Russian and English styles.

New Wardour Castle, London —

The staircase hall in the new Wardour Castle features two candle holders on newel posts.

Chatsworth House, Derbyshire —

A room in Chatsworth House shows a mix of 17th-century shell and 19th-century decoration.

Wilton House, Wiltshire —

The Double Cube room at Wilton House is enriched by the strong colors of the red velvet furniture, the Van Dyck portrait and the patterned ceiling.

"Great English Interiors," published by Prestel, is available now.

'Great English Interiors' by David Mlinaric and Derry Moore

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“The story of domestic interiors in England starts in the fifteenth century,” writes Mlinaric. “Until this time, houses, as well as castles, were built with the primary purpose of withstanding sieges.”

Haddon Hall is one of a handful of 15th-century houses to survive in close to its original condition. Comprising two courtyards around a central banquet hall, the building’s interiors feature surfaces of wood, stone and plaster that are free from artificial coloration.

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The 16th and 17th centuries were a coming-age-period for English architecture, marked by a substantial building boom, according to Moore. When Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries and halted the construction of new churches, the wealthy upper classes started building grand mansions instead.

These buildings were symbolic of their owners’ power, as well as of history and tradition.

A room in the Chatsworth House shows a mix of 17th century shell and 19th century decoration.

But as the architectural conservationist James Lees-Milne writes in Mlinaric and Moore’s book, each century has “a perennially romantic history” that appears immortal. The 20th century was a particularly confusing period for British interiors.

“The modernists and the traditionalists opposed each other as fiercely as they had done in the nineteenth century during the Style Wars,” writes Mlinaric.

Charleston House in East Sussex, where the painters Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell lived, was built at the height of World War I. Best known for its remarkable furniture, antiques and embroidered textiles, every single room in the house is – tradition be damned – painted in different colors.

Scroll through the gallery above to see more extraordinary interiors. “Great English Interiors” published by Prestel, is available now.