[6] The four-storey house contains the Cabinet Room, where the Scottish Cabinet meets each Tuesday, governmental and ministerial offices, conference, reception, sitting and dining rooms where the first minister works and where Scottish Government ministers, official visitors and guests are received and entertained.

[7] The plot where Bute House now stands was sold in 1792 by public roup (auction) to Orlando Hart, a shoemaker, prominent member of the Town Council and deacon-convener of the trades in Edinburgh, for £290.

Ritchie was a Glasgow merchant, a partner in the Thistle Bank, and the owner of landed estates in Lanarkshire and Ayrshire.

The fixings for the letters of the hotel's name can still be seen today on the exterior wall above the front entrance door of Bute House.

5 first, in 1903, and thoroughly restored its interior in an Adam Revival style, furnishing the principal rooms with antique furniture so that it could function as the Butes' townhouse in Edinburgh.

5, 6 and 7 Charlotte Square in lieu of part payment of death duties on the estate of the 5th Marquess of Bute, who had died in August 1956.

[19] Bute House is not owned by the Scottish Government but remains in the ownership of the National Trust for Scotland, a charitable organisation dedicated to the preservation of historic buildings and sites of natural significance across the country.

Dewar died while in office in October 2000, and since then, Bute House has been occupied by successive first ministers; Henry McLeish (2000–2001), Jack McConnell (2001–2007), Alex Salmond (2007–2014), Nicola Sturgeon (2014–2023), Humza Yousaf (2023–2024) and John Swinney (2024–present).

Instead, Bute House is always readily available for the First Minister or their family to reside in for any period of time, whether longterm or an overnight stay while in Edinburgh.

[28] Instead, the First Minister has a "benefit in kind" income tax liability to contribute towards the costs of associated services including heating, lighting, cleaning, repairs, staff and furniture of having Bute House as an official residence.

[28] A Schedule of Significant Features report conducted by the Adams Napier Partnership in 2017 highlighted various requirements for the retaining of certain elements to Bute House, including stonework, internal decoration and centrepieces.

The report concluded that the external fabric should continually be surveyed, maintained and monitored to preserve the significantly important Adams design of the building.

The work to Bute House was coordinated by Historic Environment Scotland, with "temporary measures" put in place for the First Minister to reside and for meetings of the Cabinet while the building was being restored.

[30] A substantial programme of repair and refurbishment to Bute House commenced on 17 April 2023 and set to last for a total of 20 weeks until approximately 1 September 2023.

The survey report also identified essential sash and case window and surrounding mastic repair requirements.

A black ironwork fence runs along the front of the house and up each side of the flight of six steps leading up to the entrance door.

[34] As the vestibule does not open directly into the stairwell, Balfour Paul sought to ensure that it would not appear dark and forbidding by deciding to greet the visitor with a welcoming central chimneypiece in white marble facing the front door.

The vestibule features a rosette ceiling, highly decorative plasterwork in the Adam Revival style, and a floor of polished flagstones in octagons and black squares.

In 1923, Lord Bute and Balfour Paul complemented this ceiling by introducing new doorcases in the same Adam style, together with an inlaid chimneypiece with a central tablet depicting Venus and Cupid and vases carried by dolphins.

[36] When Bute House was first furnished as an official residence in 1970, this room was intended as the Library or private study of the Secretary of State.

The room's original appearance, with its robust colour scheme picking up the brown marble of the chimneypiece, is recorded in Harry More Gordon's conversation piece portraying all the successive Secretaries of State for Scotland.

[37] Colin McWilliam designed a desk and a bookcase incorporating copies of the portrait medallion of Robert Adam by James Tassie for this room.

[38] Art work to feature in the drawing room include a painting by Thomas Faed titled Sir Walter Scott and his Friends.

[28] Upon the appointment of Humza Yousaf as First Minister in March 2023, he requested "minor adjustments" to the layout and furnishing locations within Bute House.

Following her studies at the college, she primarily became focused on her family life and her children whilst residing in France.

[39] Artwork featured within the dining room at Bute House follow the theme of music and conviviality of Scotland.

[40] Within the Drawing Room at Bute House, the artwork featured follows the theme of prominent and influential Scots.

A portrait of Robert Burns by Alexander Nasmyth is on load to Bute House from the National Galleries of Scotland.

[42] In 2016, a man walked up to the front door of Bute House and began to shout abuse, asking if Nicola Sturgeon was inside the building.

Sturgeon was not in residence at Bute House during this incident, but the man was later found guilty of two charges of breach of the peace.