Artist Grayson Perry’s first building, a striking “secular chapel” filled with his artwork, opened today for holiday stays – but only for a limited period and by ballot. Perry has described the building, which stands alone among the rolling fields of rural north Essex, as the Taj Mahal on the river Stour because it tells the (fictional) story of a local woman, Julie, whose husband had the house built as a shrine on her death.
Now holidaymakers have a chance to stay in the folly-cum-artwork which ranges in price from £850 for two nights midweek to £1,800 for a three-night weekend. Covered in green and white tiles – depicting a naked, pregnant Julie – with a gold roof, the lavish interior features a double-height living room lined with decorative timber panelling and Perry’s brightly coloured tapestries detailing Julie’s life. As well as boldly coloured walls and furniture, the space is decorated with ceramics and mosaics created by Perry. There is no white at all in the living area.
Upstairs there are two bedrooms with views across the landscape. “Having stayed there I know it as a very cosy, playful place, full of great little architectural games put in by Charles,” says Perry, referring to Charles Holland of FAT Architecture, the firm hired by Living Architecture to collaborate with Perry on the design of the house. The building, which has been nicknamed the gingerbread house, will be featured in a Channel 4 documentary, Grayson Perry’s Dream House on Sunday 17 May at 9pm.
The ballot gives people the chance to stay in June, July or August, and will be open until midnight on 26 May. Successful bidders will be notified by 3 June. A House for Essex is the fifth property by Living Architecture, the organisation created by Alain de Botton to allow people to experience unusual livng spaces created by great architects and artists.
• To book, go to living-architecture.co.uk
• This article was amended on 17 July 2015 to make clear that the design of the house was a collaboration between Grayson Perry and Charles Holland of FAT Architecture.
