Recently I paid a visit to Glasgow with some friends. It’s a great city full of contrasting fortunes, it seems to me.

Whilst there, we saw some fabulous art and architecture, delved into the history of the city, specifically at the Tenement Museum, and had the wonderful good fortune to pay a visit to West Glasgow, visiting the sister of one of our group, who relocated to Glasgow with her husband a few years ago.

Claire and her husband live in a tenement flat – accommodation on a vast scale, with the whole block beautifully maintained. What was so striking, though, and has played on my mind ever since, was the extent of original features that had been so carefully preserved. It was astounding and mesmerising and felt a privilege to be in that space. Looking around, it’s as though you were able to absorb the past – it gave you a real sense of the history of the building and the wider area. Extraordinary is the best way to describe it.

Blend the old and new

I realised in that moment just how influential original features are in a property, how much they impact the way you feel in a space, and how they ought to be cherished and appreciated for what they bring to a room. None of us want to live in a museum, but the secret is to blend the old and new, let them work their magic on each other and give every room its own unique appeal.

The most striking elements for me on that visit were the tiles in the entrance hall, the stained glass on the doors and the panelling around the windows. The tiles will, of course, have been handmade – a beautiful shade of green with such current appeal and contrasting floral tiles spaced here and there, following the line of the stairs. The whole effect was one of calm, making you want to linger and absorb their beauty. Tiling is one of my favourite components of a design project. They bring a texture and interest unrivalled by any other decorative element.

Stained glass was evident in many places, much of it influenced by the pioneering architect and designer, Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Again, so beautiful.

My mum was born and grew up in Glasgow but I have spent very little time there during my life. Exploring the city with my own perspective was a great experience. I wanted to bring a piece of it into my new home. I’m embarking on a major renovation of a house I’ve just moved to and I can almost certainly guarantee that there will be a little bit of Glasgow in there somewhere.