I love old houses and especially those in the United Kingdom. I realized recently it’s probably because they usually stay in one family for hundreds of years so each generation adds something that gives them a collected look rather than a decorated one. It’s even more amazing that one actually decorated by the legendary interior designer David Hicks more than 40 years ago still looks timeless today. Baronscourt, a Georgian country estate in Northern Ireland, featured recently in Elle Decor is a riot of color that must be a panacea to the often cold, grey, and wet weather. In order to keep these old historic houses running, they usually have to figure out how to bring in money and Baronscourt is a working fam that also offers shooting, country sports, and corporate event space. You can even stay on the property. They don’t give information on tours but maybe they’ll let you take a look in the main house if you stay on site or there might be special tours at certain times of the year to benefit charity. If they do offer them, I definitely want to plan a trip to see it in person.

To read more about the history of the estate and find credits, click here.