Bell's Brae House, 17 Bell's Brae, Dean Village, Edinburgh

Bell's Brae House is an early 17th century merchant's house that underwent alterations by Sir Basil Spence in 1946. The building has three storeys, with an additional storey on the riverside elevation to the north, and is situated on rising ground to the southwest, next to a lower single-storey house on Hawthornbank Lane. Originally designed in an L-shape, it features a circular stair tower in the re-entrant angle to the south. The adjoining single-storey block to the west is recessed from the river elevation, creating an enclosed courtyard.

The exterior is constructed of coursed random rubble with long and short quoins, and includes some ashlar lintels, cills, and rybats throughout. A notable feature from the 1946 alterations is a large two-storey transomed and mullioned studio window on the river elevation of the adjoining west block.

The windows are predominantly 8-pane timber sash and case, along with 6-pane timber casement windows and small-paned French windows on the west elevation. The roof is pitched and covered with pantiles, featuring ashlar skews. The gables and wallhead stacks are coped, with modern clay cans, and the building has cast-iron rainwater goods.