Communique Wines boasts a serene, welcoming interior with a carefully curated range of wines and spirits from across the globe
Situated on North West Circus Place in Stockbridge, Communique Wines is sleek and unpretentious – a modern wine lover’s refreshing alternative to the more traditional merchants operating in Scotland’s capital.
With 25 years of experience in the wine trade, owner Ali Graham knows how common it is for ‘specialist’ wine merchants to be rather intimidating. Quite often, he acknowledges, the interior design is both fussy and cluttered.
The interior of Communique Wines couldn’t be more different.
It features calming green cabinetry, white sink tiling and ceiling-high ash and ash veneer shelving. The incredible display area is stocked with old-school classic wines and future icons sourced from across the globe. Not to mention a careful curation of Scottish spirits and alcohol-free options.
There are deliberate splashes of primary colour on hardwood floors, adding visual interest to the relaxed and open space. Muted brass door handles and fixtures add a subtle shimmer.
Ali hand-picked a team of specialist designers, contractors and furniture makers to execute his innovative vision. Fran Holden was the interior designer, Umber + Ochre were the contractors and Pete Hewitt was responsible for the beautiful ash woodwork.
“Ali wanted the customer to feel immediately welcome in Communique Wines,” interior designer Fran says. “This might seem obvious, but it was the most important factor to take into consideration when planning.
“We paved the shop in reclaimed Juncker floor from the Dundee International Sports Complex and layered it with bits of coloured tape to lead customers through the shop, which I think helps make it welcoming.
“We also made the front desk from the same flooring, so it appears to be coming out of the floor. The colours in the flooring are echoed through the black accents, too.”
Fran also wanted to introduce a more feminine tone in the choices of tiles, lighting and the brass sink. “The ladder rails have track lights with orange lighting flexes, which break up the light wood and green palettes on the lower cabinets running the length of the shop.”
One of the main issues that the team experienced was the point of sale tickets, which sit on the edge of each shelf showing the drinks information and prices. “Ali didn’t want them to be plastic, so Pete Hewitt made facing strips for all of the shelves to house the tickets. Such a nice touch!”
See the interior for yourself! And don’t forget to sample some wine. Communique wines is open Tuesday-Saturday from 10:30am-7pm and Sunday from 10:30am-3pm.
17 North West Circus Place
Edinburgh
EH3 6SX
Visit the Communique Wines website | Follow Communique Wines on Instagram
Visit the Fran Holden Design website | Follow Fran Holden Design on Instagram
Visit the Pete Hewitt website | Follow Pete Hewitt on Instagram | Follow Pete Hewitt on Facebook
