Glasgow Tea Rooms

This story tells of Mackintosh's greatest patron, tea room entrepreneur Miss Catherine Cranston.  Miss Cranston comissioned the young architect to design for her four tea room complexes across the city. 

Her championing of the artistic tea room gave visit​ors a unique experience. As well as supporting local artists and designers.  

She not only introduced her patrons to a new aesthetic style. The novel design of her interiors also encouraged repeat custom in the competitive world of the Glasgow tea room.

Mackintosh's progress as an interior designer can be traced through his many tea room designs commissioned by Miss Cranston between 1896 and 1911. 

This story starts with early tea room designs, furniture and fittings by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and fellow Glasgow designer George Walton.  It culminates with displays of:

• sections

• furniture

• fittings from the largest tea room complex designed solely by Mackintosh – that of The Ingram Street Tea Rooms

The sections on display are from:

• the white Ladies Luncheon Room of 1900

• The Oak Room of 1907

• The Chinese Room of 1911.