A hallway with white-painted walls and blue-painted wainscoting and trim.

English heritage design conjures thoughts of chintz fabric, tufted furniture, natural wood accents, a roaring fireplace, and of course, rich, elegant paint colours.

From Georgian style homes to charming Tudor cottages, English interior design evokes history and harmony. Explore our expertly curated English heritage paint colour palette and consider bringing elements of this distinctive style into your home.

“About 5 million homes in the U.K. were built before 1900 and 4 million between 1900 and 1930, making a third of all British homes ‘period’ properties.”

Helen Shaw - Benjamin Moore's Director of Marketing, Europe

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is chintz and why is it popular in English heritage styles?

A. Now associated with any type of floral print against a light background, the roots of chintz date back to textiles originally fabricated in Calcutta, India.

Once chintz was imported to Europe—and throughout the British Empire—chintz became wildly popular. Today, many homeowners either love it or hate it, but it is undoubtedly striking on chairs, couches and pillows as a rich complement to elegant, beautifully painted walls.

Q. What kind of material works best for tufted furniture in a neutral-painted space?

A. Neutral paint colours are endlessly versatile. That said, leather and velvet are stalwart options for tufted furniture, and particularly well-suited for English heritage-inspired design.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is chintz and why is it popular in English heritage styles?

Q. What kind of material works best for tufted furniture in a neutral-painted space?

A. Neutral paint colours are endlessly versatile. That said, leather and velvet are stalwart options for tufted furniture, and particularly well-suited for English heritage-inspired design.