Hamilton Lodge

We’ve recently completed our work on the reunification and remodelling of two adjoining homes within Hamilton Lodge, a Category B listed building on Portobello Promenade.

Built in the mid-nineteenth century as an Italianate house facing the beach, Hamilton Lodge is one of the most distinctive buildings on this part of the Promenade. Its tower and varied roofline give it a strong presence on the seafront and reflect Portobello’s history as a seaside resort.

The building was later extended, became a hotel and was eventually divided into separate homes. Our project reconnects the four-storey house with the adjoining two-storey property, allowing the different parts to work together again as a single family home.

At ground level, new internal openings create a clearer route between the two properties. The revised plan forms a generous kitchen and dining room, improves its relationship with the refurbished living room and introduces a new utility room and additional storage. A separate room is also refurbished to provide a dedicated study.

On the first floor, later partitions and a secondary staircase are removed to create a new principal bedroom suite, with a large dressing room and ensuite bathroom.

Changes to the exterior are limited. New doors and sash and case windows are designed to sit comfortably with the existing building, while a small number of rooflights bring daylight into the upper rooms. Underfloor heating is introduced in the ground and first floors, alongside thermal improvements and upgrades to the building services.

Most of the new work is focused within parts of Hamilton Lodge that have already been altered. The aim throughout has been to make the two houses feel like one home again, without losing the character the building has acquired through its long and varied history.