House for an Art Lover

Overview

The design for the House for an Art Lover originates from an Architecture competition that Charles Rennie Mackintosh entered in 1901. His entry was too late to be eligible for the competition, but his designs were highly acclaimed and may have won the competition had they been submitted on time.

The House that you see today was started in 1989 and completed in 1996. By using C.R. Mackintosh’s original drawings, it was possible for the builders to realise the bold ideas and detailed design.

With information boards and hand held audio guides, visitors can learn about the architectural style of Mackintosh. There are 5 main rooms within the house that can be visited. In each room you can see copies of the original drawings that inspired the house. The Music Room and Oval Room feature light cream colours and delicate stencils, whilst the Hall, Dining Room and corridors are a total contrast with dark brown wood panels and olive greens. Mackintosh fans will be delighted by the attention to detail that can be found in the lights, stained glass windows and decorative stencils.

There are two further rooms with displays about the construction of the house, the other houses entered for the competition and interactive touch screen displays for learning more about the work of Mackintosh and his wife.

PLEASE NOTE: The house is sometimes closed to the public when it is being used for private functions. It is wise to check the website for opening times when you get closer to the date of your visit.