Visiting galleries is a fantastic way to see art, but viewing it in the artist’s house is a completely different experience. Around the world, there are homes and studios of legendary artists that are open to the public, and paying them a visit is like diving straight into your favourite artwork.
From dipping your fingers into the water-lily-filled ponds at Claude Monet’s chateau, to breathing in the salty air at Salvador Dalí’s surreal seaside villa, we’ve rounded up the best artists’ homes where you can feel closer to the genius behind the easel. You know what they say: home is where the art is.
Editor's note: check local travel restrictions and opening hours before planning a trip and always follow government health advice.
Salvador Dalí: Casa Museu Dalí, Cadaqués, Spain
Some of Salvador Dalí’s surrealist paintings feature the pretty bay of Port Lligat, a view that he would have seen every day from his whitewashed coastal home, now the Casa Museu Dalí. He and his wife Gala spent years extending and embellishing the house close to Cadaqués in Spain, and now the building is a maze of narrow corridors and sprawling rooms, most of which have views of the fishing boats bobbing in the harbour. Inside, Dalí’s inimitable design touches are everywhere, from flamboyant swan fountains to the phallic swimming pool.
The house is currently open with additional restrictions. Pre-booking online is advised.
Claude Monet: Maison et Jardin de Claude Monet, Giverny, France
Visiting Maison et Jardin de Claude Monet in France is like stepping inside Monet’s paintings. There are weeping willow trees, ponds sprinkled with water lilies and the Japanese footbridge (rebuilt in beech wood due to damage) that featured in so many of his masterpieces. Inside, pastel pink walls and sunny yellow furniture reflects the flowers in the garden, while shelves are packed with Monet’s most cherished items. Visit in spring to see the gardens at their most colourful.
Claude Monet's house is currently open with some additional safety measures in place.
Víctor Delfín: Second Home Peru, Lima, Peru
One of South America’s leading sculptors, Víctor Delfín opened the doors of his family home in Lima, Peru, as a boutique hotel called Second Home Peru so not only can you enter the wonderful world of the artist, you can sleep here too. Born in 1927, Delfín has worked and travelled across South America, and is a firm believer in folk art as fine art.
The seaside manor is now run by his family and displays his sculptures perched on lawns and beside swimming pools. Look out for the ornate iron fireplace, the white dove looking out to sea, and glorious oil paintings. It is currently open for bookings.
William Morris: Red House, London, England
William Morris was a figurehead in England’s Arts and Crafts movement – no surprise, then, that his London home Red House has a folksy feel with touches of Gothic grandeur and art-deco design. The secluded red brick house was designed by Morris himself and completed in 1860.
Today you’ll find the same bespoke furniture, striking paintwork and beautiful stained glass that he commissioned. Almost as much of a draw is the tranquillity of the gardens where, on a sunny day, you can lie on the wildflower-bordered grass with a good book and a coffee from the lovely cafe. It is currently closed due to COVID-19 and you can keep up with the opening here.
Joan Miró: Fundació Pilar i Joan Miró, Palma, Mallorca
Joan Miró painted prolifically in this studio in Mallorca from 1956–1983, and it’s still a hub of creativity thanks to cutting-edge events, exhibitions and talks held at Fundació Pilar i Joan Miró a Mallorca. On-site you’ll find the Moneo Building, which hosts exhibitions by contemporary artists, printmaking workshops in the 18th century Son Boter studio, and inspiring talks in the auditorium. Miró’s perfectly preserved studio is at its core: a minimalist building designed by his friend Josep Lluís Sert which is still adorned with the artist’s canvases, paint-stained brushes and antique furniture.
It is currently open but the cafeteria remains closed.
Eileen Gray and Le Corbusier: E-1027, Roquebrune-Cap Martin, France
Irish designer Eileen Gray initiated a cluster of architecturally stunning buildings when she started work on her villa E-1027 in Roquebrune-Cap Martin near Monaco in 1926. Routinely cited as a masterpiece of modernism, it’s said that the house inspired architect and designer Le Corbusier to build his own holiday home nearby. The Cabanon is a tiny wooden retreat (3.66m x 3.66m, to be precise), which Corbusier planned meticulously. The land was offered to him by the local cafe, Etoile de Mer, in exchange for a row of holiday cabins. Collectively, the area is known as Cap Moderne and tours (pre-booking only) attract architecture fans from around the world.
Read this: Warhol in the U.S.: Where to see the iconic pop artist's work
Barbara Hepworth Museum: St Ives, England
Discovering Trewyn Studio in St Ives is "a sort of magic", wrote sculptor Barbara Hepworth, and we’re very much inclined to agree. Hepworth lived and worked here from 1949 to 1975; it’s where she made some of her most influential works, inspired by the salty sea air and rugged Cornish landscape. The home has been kept in pristine condition and is now the Barbara Hepworth Museum, exhibiting elegant pieces in bronze, stone and wood – many of which are in the exact same spot that Hepworth placed them.
Carl and Karin Larsson: Carl Larsson-gården Sundborn, Sweden
Prepare to experience serious house envy at Carl Larsson-gården, Carl and Karin Larsson’s fairy-tale home in the postcard-perfect Sundborn. One of Sweden’s most loved creative couples, the Larssons let loose their creative flair on the family abode, which was gifted to them by Karin’s father in 1888. Inside, arts and crafts abound with hand-painted murals, charming tapestries and locally made furniture. Refuel at the equally wholesome cafe, where food is made from scratch and sourced from local farmers.
You might also like:
Banksy in the US: where to see the subversive graffiti artist's work
8 stunning European cities for architecture lovers
7 soothing crafts from around the world to learn at home
This article was originally published January 2020 and last updated September 2020.
