IT BOASTS seven bedrooms, many period features and can be found in one of Scotland's most desirable neighbourhoods.

But it is more likely that its multi-million price tag is down to the architect and builder behind its many treasures; a certain Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

The Windyhill house in Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire, has gone on the market for offers more than £3 million, the first time a property created by the world-renowned designer has been put up for sale in decades.

The only home fully designed by Mackintosh in private hands, Windyhill has had just four owners since it was built in 1900.

Mackintosh was commissioned to build Windyhill by his patron and supporter William Davidson, and was given control over the project.

With his wife Margaret, he designed its furniture, fireplaces, panelling, stained glass and decorative schemes.

The interiors, described by Pamela Robertson, senior curator at The Hunterian, art gallery and museum, in Glasgow, as "Mackintosh's first essay into the room as a work of art", either remain intact or have been restored by the current owner, David Cairns.

Mr Cairns said: "Some of his (Mackintosh's) pieces at Windyhill, many of them restored, are extraordinary. My own favourite is the Japanese cabinet in the drawing room, shaped like a kimono."

Charlie Smith, managing partner at London Real Estate Advisors which is handling the sale in conjunction with Ballantynes of Edinburgh, said: "Windyhill really is one of the most important 20th Century houses to come to the market in recent years. I would expect a great deal of interest.

"The property is more than just a house, it is an architectural gem and I wouldn't be surprised if it sold to an art collector, or an architectural enthusiast."