Here at Nostell Priory we’ve got into the Diamond Jubilee spirit by decorating the State Dining Room! Our theme was ‘street party’ and we had lots of fun dressing the table as though it was about to receive guests for its own Jubilee party. Most of the decorations were prepared and put in place in front of visitors, who enjoyed the transformation of the room.
We’re going to share the Jubilee decorating process with you in this blog post, and perhaps inspire you to have your own Jubilee fun!
Prepare to see a LOT of photos! As ever, feel free to comment on our pictures, and maybe share your own with us?
Preparing to make paper chains
House team and visitor services working together to make the chains
Many lengths of chains, carefully measured for the correct length. At first we stuck them together with the stickers that came with the paper chains, but a day later a lot had unstuck so we had to staple them instead!
Readying the decorating materials!
Setting out the paper plates and napkins, all bedecked with the union flag
Who could resist – after all, we were setting up for a party!
Positioning folded napkin mitres inside the glasses
Placing jubilee-themed cards onto the side tables
Meringues and cherries, mmmm!
As befits such a house as Nostell, masquerade masks would be worn at this fictional indoor street party, to give it an air of elegance!
Who can blame us?
We each picked our favourite masks to try on…
…even Maurice!
Red, white, and blue streamers on the backs of the chairs
Artistically arranging streamers on the table
Jubilee decorating team!
Hanging up the paper chains
Carefully hooking onto the centrepiece
A street party wouldn’t be right without some party food!
Jam tarts, bourbon creams, party rings, custard creams, you name it we have it!
Positioning slices of Battenburg cake
Straws, napkins, and red wine (what else?) in the glasses
Our flower ladies Jennifer and Dorothy set to work on the flower arrangements
Golden urns and delphiniums
Dorothy inserts ‘spiral ting ting’ to make the arrangements seem like fireworks spiralling up into the sky
Maurice adds the finishing touches with an expert eye
Finished golden urn, two of which will be on the back tables in the State Dining Room
For the flowers in the centrepiece (the ‘epurne’) the flower ladies used a ‘frog’, which ensures that the flower arrangements don’t move
Jennifer adds the final few red roses (note the red, white and blue theme to the flower displays – all in keeping with the Jubilee theme!)
And we were finished! The final results are in the five photographs below – we hope that you like them. The decorations within the State Dining Room are a fun addition to the Diamond Jubilee feeling sweeping the country.
Come and visit us and have a look for yourself!
Dramatic floral centrepiece
House of cards
Masquerade party
A feast for the eyes as well as the stomach!
Marvellous! (And lots of fun to decorate, too!)
Enjoy the Jubilee bank holiday weekend!
Ellie
Nostell Priory Conservation Blog 