The House at Osterley Park

Published:: 06 August 2024

The Entrance Hall at Osterley Park and House in London — The Entrance Hall at Osterley Park and House designed by Robert Adam | © ©National Trust Images/John Hammond

The interior of Osterley House is one of the finest and most complete by Robert Adam still in existence. The delicate decorations, friezes and furniture were designed by Adam specifically for each room. See the luxurious state apartments and modest family rooms as you discover the mansion, and some of Osterley's stories and secrets.

Visiting the House

Created for the Child family between 1761-1780 by fashionable Scottish architect Robert Adam (1728-1792) the grand rooms of Osterley were designed to impress the guests visiting the House or attending lavish parties. Guests would have enjoyed the extravagant Entrance Hall, the picturesque Eating Room and the Long Gallery filled with wonderful paintings.

2024 marks the first year of 'Inside Out: Conservation in Focus'; a large-scale conservation project to repair and conserve Osterley House for years to come. This year's work focuses on the south wing of the House which contains some of our most special and fragile rooms.

Get a behind the scenes experience of the conservation of the south wing with a unique view of the Drawing Room and State Apartment. Original collection items inside these rooms are on display for visitors to see in a new way. Popular rooms such as the Entrance Hall, Long Gallery, Eating Room and the Library are all open as usual for visitors.

Making its arrival to Osterley in May 2024 after being gifted to the National Trust in 2023, the Brinsley Ford Collection is now on display. From July 2024 visitors to Osterley will have the opportunity to see highlights from the Ford collection on display in many of the rooms of the House. ‘Discover Italy in Isleworth’ brings this wonderful collection of art to life, and you can read more about the collection and its journey to Osterley at The Brinsley Ford Collection

Curtain conservation at Osterley Park and House — Conserved curtain from Osterley Park and House in London | © ©National Trust Images/Maka Mutamiri

The Long Gallery

Spanning the entire length of the house, the Long Gallery on a sunny afternoon, glows in soft shades of green and gold. The length of the room means it was the perfect space for the Child family to display their wonderful art collection.

The Entrance Hall

With influences of ancient Greece and Rome and a soft colour scheme of grey and white, this room would have been used to welcome guests as well as hosting dinners, parties and balls.

The Eating Room

This was where the Child family would have eaten and entertained their friends and guests. Almost every aspect of the room was designed by Adam, from stucco wall decorations to gilt mahogany sideboards.

The room looks unfurnished, as the tables and chairs were either placed against the walls of the room or stored in an adjoining corridor when not in use.

The Tapestry Room

The first of a series of rooms that make up the State Apartment, which were designed to impress important guests such as royalty.

Completed in 1775 by French tapestry makers, Gobelins, these brightly coloured tapestries are in remarkable condition for their age. The tapestries took four years to complete and contain subtle references to Mrs Child’s love of her garden and animals.

The State Bedroom

Described as a mixture of a classic temple and theatrical stage setting, the magnificent eight-poster state bed was designed by Adam to impress. Rarely slept in, if at all, Robert and Sarah Child had much more modest rooms upstairs.

The Etruscan Room

The final instalment of the State Apartment, Adam’s vision for this room was inspired by his four-year tour of Europe in 1754 – 58 and the collection of Greek and Roman pottery of Sir William Hamilton. Adam’s designs for the walls were copied in pencil onto paper which was then pasted onto canvas and fixed to the walls before finally being painted in situ. However, it’s not completely perfect – if you look close enough you can find a missing part of the design and pencil lines from the artists preparatory sketches.

Below Stairs

Please note that the basement floor is currently not open for free-flow visiting.

The ground floor would have been the real hub of the house, with staff busy making life ‘above stairs’ run smoothly. The kitchen, servants’ hall, steward's room and more all provide a glimpse into the forgotten world of scullery maids and footmen.