Hill House in Helensburgh, Scotland

Just north of Glasgow, along the north bank of the Firth of Clyde,

one will find the charming Scottish town of Helensburgh.

And if you drive up one of the hills overlooking the firth, you will find an architectural treasure…

Hill House.

As you read the commentary and look at the photos keep in mind that this house was built in the early 1900’s (started in 1902 and opened in 1904.) 

The gardens are lovely, filled with plants that would have been available in 1904…

The statues in the gardens are intriguing..

But it is the interior of the house that will have you gaping

(remember this is how it looked in 1904!)

 Welcome to one of Charles Renee MacKintosh’s masterpieces…Hill House.

Not what you would expect in a home built at the beginning of the 1900’s, is it!

The house was commissioned by wealthy Walter Blackie and was his family home. Macintosh’s art nouveau designs must have been quite “shocking” to many.

This furniture would be “modern” even today!

Most homes in this time period were rather dark, but here at Hill House brightness seems to be the norm. (Only the dining room was done in dark wood panels.)

And these signature designs…beautiful!

All this beauty in one house created by one of Scotland’s master designers.

Aside: Before traveling in Scotland, I was not aware of how large a role architectural design plays in Scotland’s cultural fabric. Especially in Glasgow there were Schools of Design, museums dedicated to design, etc.

Update: In June, 2015 The National Trust of Scotland launched a fund raising drive hoping to raise 2.5 million pounds to pay for the weather proofing of the exterior of Hill House.

Visit more of Scotland, click here.

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Happy Travels!