Five most expensive UK homes to decorate: Windsor Castle tops list costing over £64 million to furnish

Windsor Castle has topped a list of the most expensive UK homes to decorate - costing over £64 million to furnish, according to a study by online luxury homeware brand Olivia's.

Accommodating over 150 people, including the Queen, the castle is estimated to cost £64 million to furnish and decorate, followed by Hampton Court Palace which cost in excess of £57 million.

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According to the brand’s data, this is nearly 4,400 times more than what the standard Brit spends, which is, on average, £14,650 on an entire three-bedroom family home.

With over 1,000 rooms, Windsor Castle tops the list of the most expensive properties to furnish, costing an estimated £64 million. Buckingham Palace also features on the list, with 775 rooms and costing nearly £50 million.

The five most expensive UK homes to furnish:

The brand considered different aspects of each property to discover which UK homes are the most expensive to furnish, including the age of a property, size, overall worth and the value of its possessions.

1. WINDSOR CASTLE – £64 MILLION

Windsor Castle is one of the biggest royal residencies in the world, with over 1,000 rooms. Along with her Majesty the Queen, the castle is home to more than 150 members of staff. Interior items often seen include oak cabinets designed circa 1783, gold candelabras and a selection of fine antique furniture dating back to the 18th and early-19th century, from armchairs to sofas.

2. HAMPTON COURT PALACE – £57.6 MILLION

Over 500 years old with more than 1,000 rooms, Hampton Court Palace was home to King Henry VIII. The palace interior consists mainly of Tudor and Georgian furnishings, including Jean Pelletier tables, original state beds and crystal chandeliers.

3. BUCKINGHAM PALACE – £49.6 MILLION

Buckingham Palace houses over 775 rooms with 240 bedrooms and 19 reception rooms. An official royal residence since 1761, the Palace still houses furniture from the 18th century and many rooms follow an ornate red, gold and green colour scheme.

4. SANDRINGHAM HOUSE – £43.2 MILLION

Located in Norfolk, Sandringham House is a private residence of the Royals. Dating back to Elizabethan times with renovations added by Queen Victoria, the house still today follows popular Edwardian interior design, with antique 19th century cabinets and tables scattered throughout the property.

5. HIGHCLERE CASTLE – £19.2 MILLION

Commonly known as the filming location for Downton Abbey, Highclere Castle was built in the Jacobethan style in 1679 and has over 200 rooms. The interiors mainly consist of Victorian furniture and antiques, but the castle also has more unique furnishings, such as leather walls in its Saloon room and a beautiful four-poster bed adorned with 18th century silk in its Mercia bedroom.

The brand also surveyed more than 3,000 UK homeowners to discover common interior and decorating spending habits, and found that the average Brit spends £14,650 decorating and furnishing an entire three-bedroom house.

According to the survey of UK homeowners, the most expensive room in a house to furnish is the living room, which costs on average £3,600. In comparison, the cheapest room to furnish is a bathroom, costing on average £650. On average it costs £1,831 to decorate and furnish a room in a typical British home. Permanent fixtures such as kitchen and bathroom units were not included in the survey.

The platform’s interiors expert, Sharmeen Shahid, has also put together a guide on what materials, colours and layout Brits should employ to achieve a luxurious and modern aesthetic.

Advice includes the use of inexpensive wood to create panel walls, adding depth to rooms, accessorising using high-quality fabrics such as velvet, and using mirrors throughout a home to maximise light and space.

Nick Moutter, founder of Olivia’s, said: 'Working with our team of experts, it was incredible to discover how much it would cost to decorate some of the most magnificent homes in the UK.

'It’s no surprise that two of the Queen’s residences, Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace, are at the top of the list.

'It’s also fascinating to survey our own customers to discover how much money they spend on the interiors in their homes. I’m excited to share our data and release our royal furnishing guide to help homeowners give their own properties a luxury feel, similar to those on our list.'

View the top 10 list of the most expensive UK homes to furnish, along with the guide to luxury interiors at Olivias.com.

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