Little Greene Elysian Ground Paint No. 320

In 1738, the architect William Kent – ​​known for his follies – designed a small wooden garden room to sit in the middle of a lake on the Champs-Elysees in Stowe, Buckinghamshire. It was first decorated by the Italian painter Francesco Sleter, who combined statuettes, foliage and calligraphy in an intricate Chinoiserie style, with this sumptuous deep stone colour as a backdrop. Paintwork research has shown that this precious building was repainted at least twice in the 19th century and again in 1937. After periods at the neighbouring Wotton estate and in Ireland, the Chinese House was returned to Stowe for a complete – but faithful – renovation in 1996.

'Elysian Ground' is a deep stone tone that creates a nourishing and calming interior.