A History of Dolls' Houses

Charles Rennie Mackintosh, 1868 – 1928

Charles Rennie Mackintosh was born in Glasgow, the son of a police superintendent. He was a sickly child, the second son in a family of eleven children. The family doctor encouraged him to take plenty of exercise in the open air and to have long holidays whenever possible, which he did throughout Scotland and enjoyed sketching the buildings and flora and fauna in the countryside around Glasgow.

Mackintosh’s father was a keen gardener and encouraged his children to participate. This led Mackintosh to a deep appreciation of nature from which his organic approach to design evolved. He expressed a desire to become an architect at an early age and did so against his father’s wishes.

He married Margaret Macdonald, an accomplished artist and the two collaborated together on a number of projects.

Mackintosh became one of the early pioneers of the Modern Movement and among his major architectural works is Glasgow School of Art (now the Mackintosh Building), a series of Glasgow Tea Room interiors and large private houses such as Windy Hill in Kilmacolm and The Hill House in Helensburgh.

The majority of Mackintosh’s work is in and around Glasgow and most of it is open to the public. It serves to inspire and remind us of the genius which has been heralded as the forerunner to the modern movement.

Accompanied by a large range of Mackintosh furniture, The Dolls House Emporium Charles Rennie Mackintosh-style Dolls’ House has been chosen as an exhibit in the Bethnall Green Museum, London. The staircase of the house has unique CRM details and the newel post design is inspired by one in Martyr’s Public School. The front door design reflects 78 Southpark Avenue (Mackintosh’s own home), the chimney with bay window is from Hill House as are the fixed shutters around the master bedroom windows. The internal doors are inspired by Craigie Hall internal doors, the arch above the master bedroom is inspired by ‘The Chicken Run’ (Glasgow School of Art) and the columns holding the gallery walk are inspired by columns in House For Art Lover.

Sadly, Mackintosh died in London in virtual obscurity - he had received much more acclaim for his work in Germany and Austria than in Britain.