The house is largely a replica. Original elements include wooden details and old bricks in visible masonry. The north wing with its bay window dates from the 1600s, and the weather vane shows the year James Collett took over the property. The main facade was built in several phases during the 1700s. The property suffered damages when the Swedish King Carl XII besieged Akershus Fortress in the early 1700s. The current facade is from around 1760 and reflects the symmetry of the baroque period.
The house today has four wings surrounding a courtyard. There are several classical interiors from John Collett's period. the 1790s, including the large corner room The back part of the west wing was the servants' sleeping quarters. The south wing contained a wash house with a kitchen above. Originally there was another set of buildings built around a courtyard which housed the various enterprises of the owners.
From 1703 to 1828 the property belonged to the Collett family, who had the largest lumber exporting business in Christiania. After 1843 the Cappelen family ran their book business here.