Conservation of the Nineteenth Century Portieres for the Ballroom at Farmleigh House by Karen Horton, Independent Textile Conservator

Edward Guinness purchased Farmleigh House and Estate in 1873. He commissioned a major renovation and extension programme to extend the house to he west and add a third floor, which took place between 1881 and 1884 . The ballroom was added in 1896.

Many of the houses features were commissioned by Guinness including the decorative wood carvings in the ballroom. The set of fourteen portieres were commissioned by Edward for the ballroom and adjacent small drawing room and are affixed to the walls to frame the windows and doorways with each portieres embroidery mirroring the designs of the wood cravings.