‘Much of the decorative scheme for this room was planned by Godfrey Sykes, a highly respected young artist drafted in by Cole. But after Sykes’ untimely death in 1866, the baton was passed to the designer James Gamble. The walls and large columns were covered in a variety of colourful ceramic tiles. The so-called ‘majolica’ tiles were made from pottery decorated with coloured lead glazes. Introduced to the public at the 1851 Exhibition, ‘English tin-glazed majolica’ imitated a process used since the Italian Renaissance. Other embellishments included a frieze of children or ‘putti’ (cherubs or cupids) harvesting food, dining and reading newspapers; grand mirrors in majolica frames; carved scenes with elephants and camels surrounding the doors; and stained-glass windows to hide the (unsightly) kitchens, ice house and art school buildings beyond. The ceiling was decorated in enamelled iron sheets reminiscent of enamelled name-plates found at railway stations.’