Colinton House, Colinton Road, Edinburgh

Colinton House is a substantial classical house dating primarily to 1801-6, designed by Richard Crichton, although based on an earlier scheme by Thomas Harrison. Significant alterations were carried out by William Henry Playfair in 1840-41, and later by Dick Peddie and Walker Todd in 1928, who reconstructed wings, built a former gymnasium wing, and remodelled the interior. The house occupies a sloping site and is two storeys and a basement in height, with five bays across the front. A projecting portico with coupled Ionic columns dominates the central section, while lower, recessed wings flank the main house. The building is constructed of coursed, droved Craigleith ashlar with polished dressings, featuring a base course, cill courses, eaves course and blocking course.

The principal, south-east, elevation features a central portico with coupled Ionic columns and an entablature with a decorative frieze, leading to a timber panelled entrance door with a sunburst fanlight. Regular fenestration is characteristic of the front façade, and the recessed wings have Venetian windows in the slightly advanced central bays. Paterae flank the archway and a blind tablet is supported on guttae above. Pilastered openings and a heavy cornice define the outer bays, with small recessed panels above. A square ventilation lantern with louvred faces and a piended metal roof sits atop the right wing, with a later roof extension to the left. To the outer left is a 1928 gymnasium wing with a piended roof and a Venetian window.

The south-west elevation displays the former gymnasium wing with a blind wall and a door set off-centre, featuring four relief panels of modern art.

The north-west, or rear, elevation is three-storeys high for the main house, with two-storey wings extending from either side. A three-bay bowed section is centrally positioned, displaying tall, architraved and corniced windows and a wrought-iron balcony to the piano nobile. The outer bays incorporate later tripartite windows at the first and second floors. Recessed flanking wings have an advanced central bay with recessed relieving arches containing single windows at the first floor and oculi to the attic; blind windows are also present in the attic of the flanking bays. A wing to the left has 1928 tripartite windows to the centre and left of the basement, with paired windows to the right. A wing to the right retains an original Diocletian window at the basement level. The former gymnasium wing projects to the outer left with a Venetian window.

The north-east elevation exhibits a central relieving arch breaking the string course, containing a single window, with a blind tablet above. Pilastered corners define the façade, and ashlar steps lead to a basement door on the lower right.

The windows are predominantly timber sash and case, with 12-pane glazing, though some rear windows have 6, 8, 9 and 15-pane glazing. The roof is piended grey slate, with a platformed top and lead flashings. Painted cast-iron rainwater goods are partially concealed.

The interior features an original groin-vaulted lobby with pilasters and a frieze decorated with paterae, and an Ionic pilastered corridor with groin vaulting and decorative plasterwork in the soffits of the arches. A stone staircase, remodelled by Playfair, has cast-iron balusters. Original timber panelled interior doors and cornicing are also present.