Hailes Brae, 18 Spylaw Bank Road, Edinburgh

Hailes Brae is a 2-storey and basement Arts and Crafts house designed by McCarthy and Watson in 1901, situated on a sloping site with ground falling away to the east and north. The building is L-plan with a modern addition to the rear.

The principal south elevation is constructed of roughly coursed sandstone rubble with red sandstone ashlar dressings, featuring three bays. A crow-stepped gable dominates the right side, with a large canted window with slated roof at ground floor and a tripartite window at first floor. To the left is a tripartite bow window at ground level with a gablet-headed dormer breaking the eaves above. The centre has an unusual timber panelled door in a roll-moulded architrave with a stained glass fanlight above the lintel, approached by two semicircular steps, with a single window above.

The east side elevation is three storeys with four bays and irregular fenestration. A 2-leaf half-glazed timber panelled door in a roll-moulded surround sits at ground floor centre. A slightly advanced chimney breast to the left steps and corbels out at upper floor. Three gablet-headed dormers break the attic line, and two shouldered wallhead stacks sit at the eaves.

The rear north elevation features a large staircase window at centre with a tripartite window in a flat-roofed section above breaking the eaves. A scullery outshot at ground floor right is continued northwards with a sympathetic conservatory extension. A shouldered wallhead stack sits to the outer right.

The west side elevation has three bays to the principal part with irregular fenestration including a bipartite window at ground right and three gablet-headed dormers at first floor. A shouldered wallhead stack sits right of centre, with a scullery outshot to the left featuring a timber panelled back door. The conservatory extension forms a plain wall at the outer left, and a brick arch adjoins the house at the south-west corner.

To the rear and sides, the house is harled with painted sandstone ashlar cills. Long and short quoins are employed, with slightly raised sandstone margins to first-floor windows of the south elevation. Predominantly 12-pane glazing appears in timber sash and case windows, though some windows have 6- and 18-pane glazing. Windows to the south elevation have varied glazing patterns, with some featuring 2-pane lower sashes and small-pane upper sashes. Shouldered wallhead stacks carry corniced sandstone coping and red clay cans. The roof is graded grey slate with grey ridge tiles.

The interior contains a tiled lobby with a half-glazed timber panelled door featuring unusual bevelled glass glazing, side lights and a semicircular fanlight. The hall has timber dado and dentilled cornice with a timber panelled staircase featuring turned balusters. The drawing room displays a decorative carved timber mantelpiece with a central monogram MD, carved timber panelling to the dado, an unusual timber panelled door with brass furniture, and a plaster cornice with dentilled and egg and dart mouldings. The dining room has a decorative chimneypiece with swagged decoration, a pair of dressers flanking the chimney breast with cupboards to the lower half and diamond-glazed doors above, and a deep plaster cornice with acanthus moulding. A sitting room retains its original bell-pull. The kitchen features a row of 10 bells on springs, some still working. The upstairs landing has two shoulder-arched openings and a dentilled cornice. The principal bedroom has a decorative timber panelled door matching the drawing room and a deep plaster cornice with acanthus moulding. Original mantelpieces remain in some bedrooms. Timber panelled interior doors serve all rooms, polished towards the hall and landing.

The boundary to the road comprises a flat-coped random rubble wall with short railings above, with decorative 2-leaf wrought-iron gates providing access. A round-coped random rubble boundary wall encloses the garden.

A large 1930s Art-Deco Motor House (garage) sits separately, featuring a raised section to the centre of its front and top-glazed timber-boarded folding doors.