Frederick Street

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BEFORE

A compromised Georgian apartment within Edinburgh’s New Town.

 
 

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.

 
A cozy living room featuring wooden window shutters and large windows letting in natural light. The room has a fireplace with a few decorative items on the mantel, a table with books and small pumpkins, and various seating options including a leather
Close-up of detailed white crown molding with floral and geometric patterns along the ceiling and wall.
A hallway with beige walls and wooden doors on both sides, decorated with a console table, lamps, vases, and a rolled-up rug. There are hanging ceiling lights and a black and white cat on the floor at the far end of the hall.
A bright living space with large windows showing trees outside. The room features light-colored walls, wooden window frames, a sofa with a pillow, a dining table with chairs, a bookshelf with books and decorative branch, and ceiling lights along with
A vintage-style bathroom featuring a bathtub, a window with wooden trim, a wooden vanity with a marble top, a mirror, a potted plant, a toilet, and wall-mounted lights, with beige walls and dark tile flooring.
Interior of a room with large, wooden-framed windows showing trees and a cloudy sky outside. The room has beige walls, crown molding, and a wall-mounted light fixture on the right side. There is a brown sofa with a blanket and pillows in the bottom f
A room with large open windows showing trees outside, beige walls, hanging pendant lights, and a mix of furniture including a sofa, a dining table, a bookcase, and a cabinet.
Cityscape view of old stone buildings with multiple windows and chimneys, with leafy tree branches partially visible at the top left corner, against a cloudy sky.
Bathroom with a large window, wooden cabinets, a glass shower enclosure, and a potted plant.

Bathroom with a large window, wooden cabinets, a glass shower enclosure, and a potted plant.

A circular woven rug on a brown tiled floor.

A circular woven rug on a brown tiled floor.

Trees with autumn leaves surrounding a historic stone building with towers and chimneys.

Trees with autumn leaves surrounding a historic stone building with towers and chimneys.

Close-up of a wooden window with a grid pattern, taken from below at an angle.

Close-up of a wooden window with a grid pattern, taken from below at an angle.

A black and white cat partially hidden behind a white ceramic clawfoot tub, with a tall green plant in a white pot nearby, and natural light coming through a window.

A black and white cat partially hidden behind a white ceramic clawfoot tub, with a tall green plant in a white pot nearby, and natural light coming through a window.

Living room with large windows, wooden framing, leather sofa with pillows, a cat sitting on the lower window ledge, a lamp on the wall, and a wicker basket with firewood.

Living room with large windows, wooden framing, leather sofa with pillows, a cat sitting on the lower window ledge, a lamp on the wall, and a wicker basket with firewood.

Living room with wooden accents, a table lamp, striped armchair with a gold cushion, and an area rug, with open window showing outside view.

Living room with wooden accents, a table lamp, striped armchair with a gold cushion, and an area rug, with open window showing outside view.

A cozy living room with a wood-burning stove in the center, decorated with paintings, plants, and warm lighting. A brown leather sofa with pillows is visible, along with a small wooden side table with a golden vase, books, and a pumpkin decoration. A

A cozy living room with a wood-burning stove in the center, decorated with paintings, plants, and warm lighting. A brown leather sofa with pillows is visible, along with a small wooden side table with a golden vase, books, and a pumpkin decoration. A black and white cat is sitting on a blue armchair near the side table.

A view of a kitchen seen through a doorway, featuring wooden cabinets, a small white table, and a stove with pots and pans.

A view of a kitchen seen through a doorway, featuring wooden cabinets, a small white table, and a stove with pots and pans.

AFTER

A careful reinstatement and a calm haven in the city.

 
 

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.

 
Close-up of a wooden cabinet with gold-colored knobs, positioned on a tiled floor near a window.

Collaborators

CONTRACTOR
Red Build

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Robertson Eadie

PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY
Cro & Kow

Projects

Whether breathing new life into a historic building or designing something entirely new, we specialise in unlocking the potential of every site across Edinburgh, East Lothian and Perthshire. Our work integrates seamlessly with its surroundings, combining innovative solutions with a respectful understanding of context, character and place.

While our portfolio highlights just ten selected projects, our Index offers a wider view of our work, reflecting three decades of residential expertise and our legacy as one of Scotland’s longest-established architecture practices.

Projects
 

CONTACT

Your story will be reflected in the completed build—a notion that transcends design and construction.

 
 

We would love to hear your story. Please introduce us to your project via our enquiry form. A member of our team will respond within two business days.

Contact

Edinburgh Architects