29-31 Bernard Street, Edinburgh

The building comprises a 3-storey and attic corner block of three tenements, constructed in various phases between 1807 and 1893. Nos. 27 and 29 were likely built by John Russell Jun. in 1807, No. 31 around 1820, and No. 1 Seaport Street by James Thomson in 1893. The design is classical and unified despite the differing dates. The front and southeast elevation features grey sandstone, stugged ashlar with polished dressings, while the rear of the main block has coursed and squared rubble, and the Seaport Street block uses squared and snecked rubble.

The northeast elevation (Bernard Street) is near-symmetrical, with nine bays. The three central bays are slightly recessed, with a shop doorway in the right bay, featuring a panelled door and a semi-circular plate glass fanlight. First-floor windows are divided by strip pilasters set within round-arched ashlar panels containing fluted aprons. There are single windows on the second floor. The three outer bays are slightly advanced; a doorway to the common stair is on the right, with a panelled door and radial fanlight, while a doorway at centre has a panelled door and semi-circular plate glass fanlight. First-floor windows have architraves; the centre window has a console and pediment, and the outer windows are corniced. The second floor features single windows above. Three rectangular tripartite dormers with piended roofs, plus one canted tripartite dormer, are present.

The southeast elevation (Seaport Street) has eight bays, divided into 3 bays (constructed around 1815) with a single window per bay and floor; the first-floor windows are architraved, with the centre window consoled and pedimented and the outer windows corniced. The remaining five bays (built around 1893) have matching detailing. A corniced and consoled doorway leads to the outer left, with a panelled door and a rectangular plate glass fanlight. A bipartite window and doorway, containing a panelled door and a small-pane fanlight, flank this. The remaining bays have single windows on all floors. Two canted tripartite dormers with piended roofs are present.

The southwest rear elevation has single windows, some of which have been altered, and some feature window guards on the Bernard Street blocks. A corbelled corner sweeps to square at the eaves level of the southwest corner of the Seaport Street block. A small, two-storey rubble-built warehouse with a felt roof, a central gable, hoist, and hoist doors, is also located on the southwest side.

The windows are 12-pane timber sash and case. The roof is slate with metal flashings, corniced mutual stacks, and a wallhead stack to the rear of No. 31. Ornamental cast-iron gutter brackets are located to the rear of the Seaport Street block. Five coped gatepiers and plain iron railings are present along the northeast side.