Arab Hall, Leighton House. Refurbishment and restoration of Leighton House Museum From November 2008 the Museum closed for 18 months to facilitate a programme of refurbishment and restoration funded by The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Recent condition surveys have revealed the need to completely re-wire the electrical services throughout the museum. The central heating system has not been upgraded since it was first installed over 60 years ago and does not provide the environmental conditions required for the museum’s collection of paintings. The fire detection systems are also in need of upgrading. The disruption that these works will cause provides an opportunity to look again at the decoration and presentation of the interiors. New research and paint analysis has confirmed that Leighton’s original decorative schemes differed in several important respects from the current appearance of the interiors. The floors in the dining room and drawing room were painted red and blue respectively. The dome of the Arab Hall was gilded. The original floorboards on the first floor survive beneath modern flooring laid over them in the 1960s. Completing these works will restore the house to its original spectacular appearance, recreating Leighton’s private ‘Palace of Art’ as it appeared at the time of his death. London. Photograph By David Levene 21 December 2009
Arab Hall, Leighton House. London

Arab Hall, Leighton House. London

Arab Hall, Leighton House. London