When designing for his clients, Horta liked to tailor the house accordingly to how they lived. His own house has 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.

Throughout the museum are several fine sculptures by late 19th-century Belgian artists. Look out for La Ronde des Heures, in the rear salon on the first floor. This intriguing little bronze was created by Philippe Wolfers (1858–1929), a leading Art Nouveau jeweller and silversmith who worked with Horta.

Although few have survived, Horta was well-known for his designs for commercial and public buildings. The 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.