Trusted Partners: JA!COCO!

What is JA!COCO! most known for, and what is your role in the team?

JA!COCO! Studio is perhaps best known for bringing a fresh, bold and somewhat playful approach to hospitality and commercial interiors. Founded ten years ago by myself and championed by a riot of texture and colour, we've tried to bring an alternative take on a somewhat traditional and Scandinavian-focussed industry direction. We love late 20th century Italian and European design eccentricities, although we are more than capable of approaching projects in a more restrained fashion if the brief so takes us. This was the case with the Royal Mile whisky bar, for instance.

Can you talk me through the Cask & Vine project? What was the idea for the project?

With C&V we knew the history of the location suggested a more traditional direction. As the name suggests they lead with a large malt whisky and fine wine selection and are partnered with their close-by whisky and cigar retail store. We introduced bold geometric shapes such as the coffered ceiling and arched wall shelving to emulate Edinburgh's historic architecture, nearby port connections and indeed, whisky and wine barrels. The client had in mind the theme of ‘Dark Academia’, so our our palette veers into deep oxblood red and dark, library green with nods to sitting in a cosy, home study. The seating's upholstery fabric was the opportunity to riff off the golden nectar hues of whisky itself. 

Given the idea behind the project, were there any unique challenges in bringing it to life?

On a practical level the change of use to a licensed premise meant later operating hours from the previous cafe tenant. The coffered ceiling acts as a late-night sound dampener (for neighbouring residents), as well as lowering the height to a more snug level akin to historical whisky and wine haunts or cellars. It's also a very narrow unit, so we knew we’d need a long bar with opposing fixed seating to maximise covers. The width is extremely tight especially at the entrance, so we customised the shape and depth of the banquettes' back rests so it still snakes along the full length. This helped offer a variety of seating propositions depending on the customer's length of stay.

What is your experience of working with Agua? How does the team typically help you achieve your goals?

With Agua we do find a very personal touch with regular studio visits to update us on the new products. This proves very helpful as we like to keep things fresh in new projects and not resort to the tried and tested ranges. To have Steph on hand to check stock supplies for fast turnarounds is a true blessing when project delivery times can be very tight in our world!

For more information and to see JA!COCO!’s other projects, click here.