This New Build House in Colinton, Edinburgh is a contemporary family home located within the Colinton Conservation Area. Our client acquired the plot with the intention of creating a modern home tailored to long-term family living close to Colinton village and central Edinburgh.

Colinton is a well-established residential area characterised by generous plots and a variety of traditional and more recent contemporary houses. This was our third new build house commission on the same street, reflecting a strong understanding of the local context and the trust built with clients over time.

The primary design objective was to create a generous, contemporary family house centred around light and openness. The ground floor is organised around a large open-plan kitchen, dining and living space, conceived as the heart of the home. This central space supports everyday family life and entertaining friends.

Whilst open plan, the space is carefully zoned to maintain intimacy and comfort. A feature wall subtly defines kitchen, dining and living areas without compromising flow.

The primary design objective was to create a generous, contemporary family house centred around light and openness. The ground floor is organised around a large open-plan kitchen, dining and living space, conceived as the heart of the home. This central space supports everyday family life and entertaining friends.

Whilst open plan, the space is carefully zoned to maintain intimacy and comfort. A feature wall subtly defines kitchen, dining and living areas without compromising flow.

Large aluminium sliding doors open to both the front and rear gardens, allowing natural ventilation through the house and strengthening the relationship between inside and outside. The principal garden sits to the south-facing front of the property, and the main living areas open directly onto a patio and lawn.

An entrance hall with cloakroom and WC leads directly into the central open-plan space, from which all principal ground floor rooms are accessed, including a snug, formal sitting room and home gym.

A cantilevered stair with glazed balustrade rises within a double height space, forming a key architectural feature. The stair and first floor landing are iIlluminated by rooflights above and a full height west-facing picture window. This window frames views of mature trees and captures late afternoon and evening light, bringing visual interest and natural light deep into the centre of the house.

The scale and massing of the house reflect the surrounding two-storey context while ensuring minimal impact on neighbouring properties. Daylight, overshadowing and site levels were carefully considered during design development with extensive shadow studies undertaken to demonstrate compliance with planning requirements.

Principal bedrooms are positioned to the rear to reduce the risk of overheating from direct southern exposure, while projections in the upper floor create west-facing windows to capture evening light in the master suite.

Create a flexible, contemporary family home within the Colinton Conservation Area

Maximise natural light throughout the house

Provide a generous open-plan entertaining space

Include separate living areas (snug and formal sitting room)

Incorporate a home gym

Achieve strong visual and physical connections to the garden

Energy-efficiency and comfort

We provided architectural services from inception through to completion. This included feasibility, concept design, planning consent, and building warrant approval. During construction, we acted in an advisory capacity, providing technical support to the contractor and issuing professional consultant certification.

Three Distinct Bedroom Wings:
Separate master, additional and guest areas allow privacy within a cohesive family home.

Dedicated Plant Room:
An integral plant room houses the air source heat pump, MVHR system and solar battery installation.

Home Gym:
A compact Peloton and exercise room.

Cantilevered Feature Stair:
A floating stair with glazed balustrade creates a sculptural focal point within a double-height space.

West-Facing Stair Window:
A large picture window at half-landing level introduces evening light and framed views of surrounding greenery.

Open-Plan Living Core:
The kitchen, dining and living spaces are centrally arranged, carefully zoned and directly connected to outdoor areas.

Three Distinct Bedroom Wings:
Separate master, additional and guest areas allow privacy within a cohesive family home.

Dedicated Plant Room:
An integral plant room houses the air source heat pump, MVHR system and solar battery installation.

Home Gym:
A compact Peloton and exercise room.

Sustainability measures include:
Triple glazed, high efficiency windows.
High levels of insulation.
Renewable technologies, including:
Air source heat pumps
Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery system (MVHR)
Solar panels with battery storage

Externally, the house employs a restrained material palette to achieve a crisp contemporary aesthetic. Smooth render is paired with anthracite zinc cladding to articulate the elevations and create visual contrast.

Extensive glazing, including large sliding doors and feature windows, allow for a strong inside/outside connection and generous amounts of natural light throughout the house.

Internally, the house features high-quality joinery and locally sourced fittings. The kitchen is integrated seamlessly into the open-plan space, maintaining visual cohesion through concealed storage and coordinated finishes.