
Hear our client share the brief and the joy of Hermitage Drive
In our second YouTube episode, hear directly from our client as they share their vision for creating a home that blends timeless Arts and Crafts charm with modern family living. From the initial brief to the stunning final outcome, learn how we reimagined spaces to enhance flow, restored characterful details, and designed a breathtaking extension that balances scale, functionality, and elegance.
About
Somner Macdonald Architects is a residential architecture practice founded in 1993.
With over three decades of experience, we are architects of bespoke homes shaped by clarity, care and a deep understanding of place. From tight urban plots to expansive rural settings, our work reflects a confident, long-term vision, designed to endure.
We specialise in expressive yet restrained architecture: homes that feel calm, coherent and attuned to modern domestic life. Every project is shaped by a considered process and close collaboration; with clients, craftspeople and consultants alike.
Experts in listed buildings, heritage sites and complex planning contexts across Edinburgh, East Lothian and Perthshire, we bring deep local knowledge and a respectful approach to every brief. Whether reimagining a historic structure or crafting something entirely new, we design with purpose, precision and lasting value.

Discover the story behind Barnton Avenue’s transformation
In our first YouTube episode, Seán and Tom share their vision for reinventing family living—balancing timeless design, thoughtful functionality, and contemporary needs. Learn how spaces were reimagined, original proportions restored, and essential additions seamlessly integrated to create a calm, harmonious family home.
Projects
Whether breathing new life into a historic building or designing something entirely new, we specialise in unlocking the potential of every site across Edinburgh, East Lothian and Perthshire. Our work integrates seamlessly with its surroundings, combining innovative solutions with a respectful understanding of context, character and place.
While our portfolio highlights just ten selected projects, our Index offers a wider view of our work, reflecting three decades of residential expertise and our legacy as one of Scotland’s longest-established architecture practices.
CONTACT
Your home should reflect your life: its rhythms, routines and aspirations.
As a multigenerational Edinburgh architecture practice, we bring decades of residential expertise to every project, with a particular focus on residential architecture. Whether you’re planning a transformative refurbishment, a bespoke new build or a sensitive extension to a listed building, we offer thoughtful guidance rooted in local knowledge, heritage and planning experience.
We work across Edinburgh, East Lothian and Perthshire, supported by an established network of trusted collaborators. Share your project with us via our enquiry form, and a member of our team will be in touch within two business days.

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