Oakbank, 2 Lauder Road, Edinburgh

Oakbank is an Italianate villa dating from around 1865, situated at 2 Lauder Road, Edinburgh. The building is constructed of roughly squared and snecked cream sandstone masonry with polished dressings and contrasting red sandstone details, particularly to the entrance tower. It has an irregular plan and is arranged over two storeys.

The south elevation, originally the entrance front, features a four-stage square entrance tower recessed to the right. A blocked and windowed architraved round-arched doorway is at the base, flanked by a pilaster doorpiece with carved consoles supporting a cornice. Above is a bipartite round-arched window with a blind arcaded apron, contrasting mullions, and carved animal capitals. A letterbox window breaks the eaves at the second floor, above which a timber-piended towerhead has arcaded tripartite windows with aprons to each face (one light is blinded). A lean-to with a glass roof extends across three principal bays. An advanced and corniced bipartite window (now a door and single window) is positioned to the right, with a bipartite window above. A full-height canted window, featuring a decorative cast-iron balcony, is centrally located at the first floor. A recessed bay to the far left has a single ground floor window, now a door, and a single window with a decorative cast-iron balcony above. A single-storey addition is attached to the west.

The east elevation, facing Lauder Road, features the entrance tower to the outer left, with details consistent with the south elevation, but with a round-arched ground floor window featuring a border glazing pattern. Two bays are slightly advanced to the right of the tower, alongside an advanced single-storey service wing.

The west elevation displays a single-storey pitched and asphalted roof addition to an advanced bay on the far right. A recessed bay to the inner right has a modern fire escape and rendered chimney stack. Three piend-roofed bays extend to the outer left, with regular window placement.

The north elevation showcases a three-bay advanced piend-roofed block on the right. A recessed central bay features an arcaded tripartite stair window. A single-storey service wing is situated to the outer left.

The windows are a mix of plate glass, four-pane, and small-pane sash and case designs. Grey slate piended roofs and lead flashing are present, along with corniced and shouldered stacks, and a lead finial to the tower roof. A box dormer is found on the south side, and a segmental-arched dormer on the west.

Inside, the imperial staircase has carved wooden balustrades and newel posts. Elaborate bracketed plasterwork cornices and decorative elements are also notable. The property is enclosed by high mutual boundary walls and to Lauder Road and Grange Loan, with coped ashlar gatepiers to Lauder Road. Single-storey timber outhouses are located to the north. Ashlar steps lead down to a wellhead in the garden.