6 Regent Terrace, Edinburgh

6 Regent Terrace is a significant example of early 19th century Edinburgh architecture, designed by William Playfair and constructed between 1826 and 1833. It forms part of a long terrace of 34 classical townhouses, originally two storeys high with a basement and attic, though many now have a later third storey. The terrace is punctuated by two pavilions of 18 bays each, with three-bay projections at each end (numbers 11-16 and 23-28), and a 12-bay section at the western end (numbers 1-4). The terrace is stepped to follow the road’s slope.

The exterior is constructed of droved ashlar at basement level, polished ashlar above, and coursed squared rubble with dressed margins to the rear elevation. The principal elevation features a base course, dividing bands between the basement and ground floor, and the ground and first floors. A continuous cast-iron trellis balcony with a Greek key border runs along the first floor. A band course divides the first and second floors, and an eaves cornice tops the building. The doorpiece consists of fluted attached Greek Doric columns. The fenestration is regular, with architraved windows on the ground, first, and second floors; panelled aprons feature beneath the ground floor windows. The rear elevation is also generally regular.

The principal (south-east) elevation is three storeys and basement level, with the basement painted. The central bay of the basement contains a timber panelled door with a four-light fanlight, while a window is located to the left and a blocked area entrance to the right, now with a bipartite window. A set of steps and a platt lead to a two-leaf timber-panelled door with a circular glazed fanlight on the ground floor.

The rear (north-west) elevation is three bays wide, with a small, single-storey, mono-pitch roofed extension to the centre. It includes an eaves course.

Most windows have 12 panes of glass, with 15-pane glazing on the first floor to the front elevation and in the right bay to the rear, and 4-pane glazing on the second floor to the front. Windows are predominantly timber sash and case. The roof is an M-shape with a central valley, covered in graded grey slate, with stone skews and skewputts. Chimneys are corniced with circular cans, and previously featured low, octagonal flues to the east and west sides.

The front features stone coping with cast-iron railings incorporating dog bars, spear-head finials, and a distinctive circled border, edging the basement recess and platt. A wrought-iron lamp standard stands to the left. Random rubble boundary walls with flat coping define the rear garden.

The interior includes a lobby with a geometric tiled floor, compartmented ceiling, good plasterwork, a 19th century Etruscan style painted scheme, a screen of polished black Corinthian columns, and a marble chimneypiece. The former drawing room on the first floor has plasterwork, a compartmented ceiling, and a classical grey marble chimneypiece. A rear room on the same floor features good plasterwork and a classical marble fireplace. The front room on the second floor has a grey and white columned marble chimneypiece. A stone cantilevered staircase with ornate cast-iron balusters leads to landings with good plasterwork. A rectangular cupola is also present.