Castle Kilbride

Image is the property of Caitlin McElroy

There are a lot of architectural marvels in the region of Waterloo, old and new, but one that I have visited recently and really enjoyed is Castle Kilbride in Baden. www.castlekilbride.ca

This Italianate style house was built in 1877 by James Livingston and named after his birthplace in Scotland. While being a beautifully built house and meticulously restored, it's inside - particularly the walls and ceilings - is of even greater interest. 

Much of the interior is decorated in a trompe l'oeil style, which is an illusionist style that gives flat, two-dimensional art the appearance of being three-dimensional. Here are some examples:

Left: An artist restores some of the ceiling work.
Right: Everything in the image, including the "plaster work" is just paint on a flat surface!

My only complaint about the visit is the fact that you enter from the back of the house, which is where a large modern addition for museum staff and meeting rooms is located. So, rather than entering through the front door and experiencing the front foyer - which has the most impressive work - the way it was intended, you enter through the back door...like the servants would have.