The Hill House by Charles Mackintosh
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This post was created in collaboration with the National Trust for Scotland
"A discriminating thoughtfulness in the selection of appropriate shape, decoration, design for everything, no matter how trivial" Mackintosh, 1902
THE HILL HOUSE
The Hill House is located in Helensburgh which is 45 min away from the Glasgow, Scotland.
The exact location of the house is marked "4" on the free to download map.
The story begins in 1902 when Glasgow's publisher Walter W. Blackie commissioned Charles Mackintosh- the world's most renowned Scottish architect to design his new house. The house remained the family home of the Blackies for 50 years and now it is a museum curated by National Trust for Scotland.
Mackintosh designed every detail in this house - from the carefully planned out room layout, the exterior of the house, the interior to such a detail- including the custom-built furniture, the lights, the fireplaces, even the clock for the library and the fabrics used throughout the house. Margaret Macdonald, a designer and a wife of Charles Mackintosh has helped on textile design for this house, including the design of the bed covers. Although the exterior of the house appears very modern with no ornamentation where the pure expression is in the mass form, in contrast, the highly detailed interior makes you appreciate the complexity of the design inside and out.
THE MAIN HALL
The main hall is the first encounter with the house and as soon as you step inside you realise the scale of ambition in design and the wealth of the owner. The main hall is spacious, filled with the natural light, it is located in the heart of the ground floor and provides an access to all the rooms on the ground floor- the library, the billiard room, the drawing room, the dining room, and the service rooms. The staircase leads to private bedrooms on the upper floors.
N 56.01°/ W 4.73°
The main hall view
The view of the main hall from the stairs
Hand-drawn ground floor plan of the Hill House
THE DRAWING ROOM
The drawing room has three distinct zones - sitting area by the fireplace in the north-west corner with its mosaic surround and gesso panel by Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh. A large recess at the east end containing the piano, and a wide bay window on the south side, incorporating a seat and a glazed door to the terrace.
The built-in seating is soaking in plenty of natural light
The perfect cube table in the drawing room designed by Mackintosh
The stylised rose is one of many examples of the decorative leitmotif in the drawing room
Margaret Macdonald’s sensual ‘sleeping princess’ gesso panel above the drawing room fireplace
THE MAIN BEDROOM
On entering the L-shaped space, the grand bed is not immediately noticeable , as Mackintosh placed it around the corner under a barrel-vaulted ceiling giving it and air of privacy and shelter. Every detail in this room is arranged to enhance the feeling of tranquility and balance, and to create ab space of spiritual calm.
The pair of black ladder back chairs suggest wooden trellises, supporting the stencilled roses on the walls- part of the beautiful indoor garden Mackintosh created in this room.
The small shuttered window in the curved recess next to the bed conjures up romantic imagery associated with fairytale castles.
The walls are decorated with a rose motif, a traditional symbol of family love.
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