165 Eaton Place Style

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The Before

The After

all images from the BBC, BBC one, Masterpiece Theatre or the links at the end of this story

the Place-Eaton Place

the Decoration

& decorating by the book, it's almost as if Lady Agnes turned the pages.

for her 165 Eaton Place Style

Dorthy Draper at l. , The Greenbrier Resort decorated by Dorothy Draper, r.

There is undoubtedly something- about it. 

165 makes me think DRAPER.
Oddly there is very little evidence of the British designers of the period like Syrie Maugham at 165. I think it is safe to say, the Lady (Agnes) of the house did the decorating herself.

 urban electric's dorothy

there's even something like this-there.

Watch the full episode. See more Masterpiece.

another shot of Draper

image: South Florida Sentinel

Mike Stocker

Here we have the cast of the new episodes of Upstairs Downstairs.
I couldn't wait. Should we have to wait? Dreadful that the series doesn't start in the states til mid April. The story begins with the opening up of the old Bellamy Mansion at 165 Eaton Place and the three episodes encompass the death of the King- the coming of King Edward VIII-Wallis Simpson-Abdication- World War II-and all the intrigues of- ups and downs of -those living under the roof of 165.

Happily, Rose- yes, that is the original Rose Burk, played by series creator Jean Marsh, is back at 165 holding it together along with another sort of Original- Lady Holland played by Dame Eileen Atkins.  Eileen Atkins along with Marsh were the creators of the original Upstairs Downstairs. The original produced 68 episodes from 1971-1975 and  it's back and it's good, very good- better than Downton Abbey. Perhaps it is Rose that makes it connect-she was and again is- the heart and soul of the story.

The Cast at 165 Eaton Place

A List from Masterpiece Theatre here

Residing at 165 Upstairs & Down

The Ladies who run the show- Lady Maude l, Rose r

Maud, Lady Holland is the spark that sets fire to Eaton Place. She will be likely-the unforgettable character of the series. Maud returns to England just in time to upset the arrangements her daughter in law- Lady Agnes played by Keeley Hawes  is making  to dazzle her guests and new husband Sir Hallam handsomely played by Ed Stoppard. There is more than meets the eye there I'll tell you!  Lady Holland selects the best rooms with plans to dictate her memoirs of the Raj to her -of course-most elegant Indian secretary Mr Amanjit.  Uptight Lady Agnes is attempting to get the hang of things, while Lady Holland is stealing every scene with quirky -but stylish clothes, having adopted a Lady of the world wardrobe, Indian saris styled as evening clothes.  Be still my heart.

Lady Maud's Wardrobe

(would love to have it)

 South Indian Brocade Sarees  Pre Independence India, c. 1930.

handwoven Indian silk by sophisticated artisans in British services 

(from my collection of textiles)

The Glamour

watch Wallis make an appearance

When she was just Mrs. Simpson

 quote from the blog Beyond the Pale's Miss Nightingale 

"It’s a very particular British kind of glamour – all aristocratic complexions, matte lipstick, clicky heels and that clipped Mitford-esque brittleness which defines the period for me."

 

  the Mitford Sisters look on 

The Eaton Place Sisters

 Lady Agnes and Lady Persie

 

 even the hypnotic  'glamour' of the Fascist Oswald Mosley-who Lady Persie becomes infatuated with-

Oswald Mosley

Lady Persie

ART DECO

 Decoration

All up to the minute furniture of the Art Deco period fills the drawing room-and that is full of fret work moldings on the walls. While the paintings remain of another era and sofas are bursting with down, damask patterns of velvet and full tilt brush fringes (the scenes above)

The new episodes- alas there are only THREE- but I hope many more are to come. It is already a feast for the eyes.

Solomon

devotee of sweet tea,  thick-cut marmalade & the occasional maraschino cherry

all to our particular taste

LINKS

this is an all encompassing blog about every wonderful Period Film- you need to keep up here
everything about the new Upstairs Downstairs at Enchanted Serenity Period Films here
updown.org here 
Maison Gerard here
prettily put together at Beyond the Pale here  & here
full casts- the first and the second here
BBC
BBC talks to production designer Eve Stewart here
 Draper here
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