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discovered his treasure trove now have a pearl beyond price. They are

living and working in a building which is, quite simply, one of the

city's architectural jewels.

Everyone who buys an old house has the same secret dream. They hope

that when they rip out the more recent interior decor they will unveil

an incredible mural or artifact from the past, hidden behind those

chipboard units...

Architects Lucy Parr and Graeme Shearer discovered that such a

revelation can cause the world to beat a path to your door - and up your

stairs, through your drawing room, and into your kitchen. On last year's

Open Doors day some 2400 people trooped through their home and workplace

within six hours.

Yet, when they bought the first floor flat in the conversion at No.3

Park Terrace, they were simply looking for a place which would give them

living space as well as a big room in which to base their small

architectural practice.

Designed by the architect Charles Wilson, Park Terrace was built in

1855 as part of his wonderful Park District scheme which dominates the

skyline above Kelvingrove Park.

When Lucy and Graeme were knocking down a partition shortly after

buying the house, a remarkable discovery was made. Under many layers of

wallpaper and paint lay the original decor of the drawing room -

astonishing gilded walls, painted in 24-carat gold.

Ornamental cherubs were found wrapped in newspapers. Exuberant

cornicing flowed across the ceiling and an impressive console table

dominated a previously unregarded part of the apartment. Everything that

glistered was painted, literally, in gold.

''We were astonished,'' says Graeme Shearer. ''As architects we felt a

strong sense of responsibility to at least try to restore the room to

its original grandeur.'' Yet they had bought the run-down house because

it was all they could afford and it had a good view across the city!

Historical research revealed that the building had been owned by Sir

James Bain of Crofthead (1817-1898), a Victorian ironmaster who became

Lord Provost of Glasgow in 1874.

The house was more than a home. He used it as a place in which to

entertain visiting dignitaries such as the Prince and Princesss of Wales

in 1876. General Ulysses Grant, former President of the USA, dined at

Number 3 when he was given the Freedom of Glasgow the following year.

When on his foreign travels, Sir James sent regular despatches back to

the Glasgow Herald of the day. His suggestions for the creation of an

Indian railway became the basis of one of the world's most famous

railway networks.

But financial research revealed that two youg architects could not

possibly afford to pay all of the costs of restoration.

They turned to public sector agencies like Historic Scotland, the

Glasgow Development Agency, and Glasgow District Council for help. ''We

were pleasantly surprised by how keen they were to assist us. They were

extremely helpful and we could not have resto red the drawing room

without them,'' says Graeme Shearer.

It took three long years and many thousands of pounds of public money

to restore the Victorian Drawing Room to its former glory. Expert

restorers were able to retrace the design of the original stencils,

which have now been copied in sumptuous golden hue s matching the

originals.

''We were able to do so much because so many of the features from 150

years ago were still here. The mirrors, the cornicing, the servants'

bells, the door escutcheons. It was all here,'' says Graeme Shearer.

As part of the deal, Lucy Parr and Graeme Shearer had to agree to open

the house to the public several times a year. During the last 12 months

no less than 47 groups and tours have visited their combined home and

architectural practice. ''Nobody gets turn ed away - but you have to

make an appointment!,'' says Lucy Parr. The 5,000 pamphlets published

last year to explain the background tothe discovery have al been snapped

up and a new print run ordered.

What visitors now see is a copy of the walls as they were commissioned

by Sir James Bain, but the original gold patterns are preserved

underneath, although much faded. ''If anyone in the future wants to

carry out a full restoration, then the original wor k is still there.

That's a very important principle,'' says Graeme Shearer.

But when they leave the Provost's drawing room, a further surprise

awaits the thousands of visitors who are expected to tramp up the stairs

at No.3 Park Terrace this year. With the support of the planning

department, the back of the house has been turned into a very modern

living and working space.

A large room with a very high ceiling serves three functions - kitchen

and living space below, while a workspace with drawing boards,

computers, filing cabinets, desks has been created on a new mezzanine

area above.

''We had worried that the planners would be rather precious about us

wanting to change the look of the back rooms, but they were incredibly

helpful. They realise that if people are to move back into this area,

then many of the buildings will h ave to go through some changes,'' says

Lucy Parr.

And that poses a dilemma which conservationists, planners, and

purchasers of important period buildings will have to ponder. Glasgow

claims, rightly, that the historic Park District is an architectural

asset of international importance. But those elegant townhouses will

only return to residential use if people can carry out alterations which

make them easier to live in.

And why not? Those buildings were designed to live and work in. The

people who bought into Charles Wilson's vision 150 years ago were the

new merchant classes - brokers, lawyers, investors, and the occasional

Lord Provost - who spent part of their week working from home. Deals

(sometimes douce, sometimes dastardly) were done in those dramatically

decorated drawing rooms.

We must conserve the vast public rooms as best we can, but we need not

be too twee about some of the other parts of the townhouses. The

Victorians ploughed cash into elaborately decorating just three spaces -

the hall, the drawing room, and the dining room. Visitors were to be

impressed at all costs.

Other parts of the house tended to be simpler. After all, they were

designed for living in.