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When designing houses for clients, Horta liked to study how they lived, and tailor the house accordingly. His own house is designed in two distinct parts: on the left (from the outside), his residence; on the right, his offices and studio.

The interior design hangs on a central stairwell, lit from the top by a large, curving skylight. The ironwork bannisters have been given a typically exuberant flourish.

In what was considered a bold gesture at the time, Horta used iron structures to support his houses. He even made a virtue of it, by leaving some of the iron exposed and drawing attention to it with wrought-iron embellishments.

Horta was an ensemblier : he liked to design an entire building in all its detail, down to the last light fixture, door handle and coat hook. This attention to detail conveys the impression of complete architectural mastery: nothing is left to chance.

In addition to door handles and coat hooks, Horta also liked to design the furniture to go in his houses. Although it bears a definite Art Nouveau stamp, Horta’s furniture tends to be simple, restrained and practical.

The nature of leaded glass – glass shapes held together by lead strips – stimulated the artistic flair of Art Nouveau architects. It appears at various points in the house – notably the door panels and stairwell skylight.

The sinuous lines of Art Nouveau design in the mosaic tiling of the dining room floor help to soften the effect of the white-enamelled industrial brick lining the walls.

There is a note of austerity as well as luxury in Art Nouveau design. The richly carved wood in the dining room is left natural, allowing the quality of the wood to speak for itself.

Horta worked with a leading jeweller and silversmith of the day, Philippe Wolfers (1858–1929). Using typically sensuous, lavish designs, Wolfers combined gems, ivory and precious metals to create not only jewellery, but also houseware items such as lamps and ornaments. A selection of his work is on display in Horta’s office.

Although few have survived, Horta was well-known for his designs for commercial and public buildings. The Volkshuis (La Maison du Peuple), was an innovative cast-iron structure built for the Société Coopérative in 1895. A scale model of it can be seen in the cellar.