Situated in the New Town Conservation Area, within a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Category A listed, the Frederick Street apartment had been heavily altered by unsympathetic mid-20th-century renovations. Lowered ceilings, non-original partitions and poor-quality interventions had eroded its proportions and character. What should have been a calm Georgian interior felt fragmented and diminished; its architectural language diluted and its potential obscured.

Despite its prestigious setting, the apartment lacked the quiet dignity and spatial clarity associated with Edinburgh’s New Town. The grandeur of neighbouring properties was never its defining quality; instead, its strength lay in restraint, a quality that had been lost over time.

The restoration sought to return the apartment to its original Georgian proportions, removing later insertions and reinstating a sense of spatial clarity. Ceilings were raised, non-original details stripped away and simplified panelling, cornicing and fireplace surrounds introduced, deliberately modest in character to reflect the building’s more restrained origins.

Where materials were replaced, they were chosen to sit comfortably alongside the historic fabric: high-quality, enduring finishes that enhance rather than compete. The apartment is entirely plastered in clay plaster, creating a breathable, tactile and quietly luminous interior that will age gracefully over time.

Alongside conservation came modern performance. Gas was removed from the property in favour of electric flow boilers serving underfloor heating, Sunamp hot water generation and high-performance Fineo vacuum-sealed glazing. These discreet upgrades ensure the home meets contemporary standards of comfort and efficiency without compromising its historic integrity.

Designed initially for two occupants, and completed as they welcomed their first child, the apartment was conceived as a flexible, high-performing blank canvas. A calm architectural framework of simple, refined detailing allows the clients’ eclectic furnishings and personal collections to bring warmth and individuality, creating a home that is both deeply conserved and quietly contemporary.