Refurbishment & Extension of Period Villa
Fountainhall Road, Edinburgh

Project Overview

 

This project involves the extension and alteration of a C‑listed Victorian villa in Edinburgh’s Grange Conservation Area, originally designed by John McLachlan in the late 19th century. While the house benefitted from generous proportions and a substantial rear garden, there was little visual or physical connection between the two.
The primary aim of the project was to re‑establish this relationship through a carefully integrated contemporary extension.

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Garden Extension

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A new rear extension introduces an open‑plan kitchen, dining, and sitting area, forming the social heart of the home. Designed to provide privacy while opening fully to the garden, the extension creates a strong visual and physical connection to the outdoor space.
New double doors off the main hallway establish a clear axial view through the house, forming a framed ‘picture window’ towards the garden when open, while allowing the space to be closed off when required.
The relocation of the existing kitchen into the new extension enabled improvements to the internal layout, allowing for the introduction of a new bathroom and gym within the original house.

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Landscape & Extension​

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The extension is integrated with the garden through a stepped landscaping strategy, incorporating seating and planting that respond to the site’s existing levels. This approach allows the new architecture to sit comfortably within the established garden while enhancing usability and flow between spaces.

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Materiality & Interior Character

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Material choice plays a central role in balancing contemporary intervention with historic context. Copper cladding, designed to weather naturally over time, frames a carefully cut opening within the existing masonry, while ashlar stone, required through planning, aligns with the original stonework.
Extensive glazing reflects the proportions of the existing rear bay window, reinforcing continuity between old and new. A rooflight abuts the retained masonry wall, drawing natural light deep into the dining space and enhancing spatial quality.

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Outcome

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The completed project achieves a refined balance between heritage and contemporary architecture, delivering a Victorian home that is better connected to its garden, improved in layout, and carefully resolved within its conservation setting.