How The Other Half Lived

 After a week of baby sitting, Laura's Mum and Dad came over on Thursday to take a turn and Sheelagh and I found ourselves free to wander. I think it has something to do with age, but we don't seem to sleep in even if we  can. So, we were up and about fairly early. We get some sort of buzz just finding our way on the public transport. We did our research and got ourselves to A House For An Art Lover. 

In the first decade of the 20th century a German company held a competition for architects with no restrictions other than a deadline for entry. Charles Rennie Macintosh even managed to blow that. He and his new wife Margaret teamed up to create a wonderful design but failed to get it in on time and were disqualified. But the judges liked their work so much that they gave them a special prize anyway. They just didn't win the competition and the house was never built. 

Fast forward to the 1980's and the designs for the house were rediscovered and it was decided to build it.  Here's how it looks.

The beautiful music room

The designs for some rooms were very detailed and some were vague. Years of research and a great deal of educated guess work brought the MacIntosh house to reality. We really enjoy this place and put it at the top of our, "Things to do." list for Glasgow.

Today we visited another fine home called Holmwood House. 

James Couper, owner of a paper mill south of the river Clyde, found himself wealthy and ready to build himself and his wife a house. He chose Alexander "Greek" Thomson, another famous Glasgow architect. 

 to do it for him. There were three requirements. It was to be livable, it was to be a place where business could be done, and it was to amaze.

So in 1857, on a plot of land near his mill, the house was built.

Thomson was called "Greek" because he loved Greek and Egyptian influences. This was a man who had never left Scotland, except once, when he went to London to get married. 

The rooms were very reasonably sized, so it was livable. Even in the 1850's they put in an ensuite bathroom. There were rooms where the ladies could gather while the gentlemen discussed business. And the colourful decorations, combined with many exterior flourishes gave it a wow factor. This is a lovely spot, which seems to be pretty much ignored by overseas visitors. So, if you ever find yourselves in Glasgow, we strongly encourage you to have a look at Holmwood House.