What is your company most known for, and what is your role in the team?
Significant Others is a collaborative interior architecture and brand studio, known for creating thoughtful, design-led interiors that balance aesthetic impact with functionality.
As the senior interior designer, I lead projects from concept through to completion. My role involves shaping the creative direction, overseeing spatial planning and material selection, and ensuring the design narrative is carried consistently throughout. I also work closely with clients and suppliers to make sure the final outcome is both visually compelling and highly functional.
Can you talk me through the project? What was the idea behind it?
The project was a refresh and re-energising of Hula, a well-loved café located in Edinburgh’s historic Grassmarket. The idea was to evolve the interiors to create a brighter and more contemporary space that reflects Hula’s feel-good approach to healthy food and drink.
The design intentionally contrasts the historic setting with a modern aesthetic, introducing warm rich colours and a vibrant, botanical theme. Overall, the goal was to create a fresh, optimistic space that supports a variety of uses, from quick grab and go visits to more relaxed, longer stays, ensuring the space remains flexible and commercially effective throughout the day.
Why did you choose Agua for the project and what fabrics did you require for the job?
We specified Agua due to their strong reputation for high quality, durable fabrics that are well suited to hospitality environments. For this project, we required a fabric for the banquette seating that would complement the rich colour palette and contemporary botanical theme, while also offering practicality and longevity to handle daily use in a busy café setting. Agua’s Tones range allowed us to achieve that balance, supporting the overall design intent without compromising on performance.
What is your experience of working with Agua? How does the team typically help you achieve your goals?
We have worked with Agua on numerous projects and the experience has been consistently positive. Their team is knowledgeable, responsive, and supportive throughout the design process. They help by offering expert advice on fabric selection, ensuring that materials not only meet the aesthetic brief but also perform well in a commercial environment. This level of collaboration is invaluable, particularly on fast-paced hospitality projects where timelines and durability are key considerations.
Would you recommend Agua based on your experience?
Absolutely. Agua offers a well-curated range of high quality, design led fabrics backed by excellent technical performance at a great price point. Combined with their responsive and knowledgeable team, they’re a dependable partner who we will continue to use for projects in the future.
To see more of Significant Others' work, click here.