Recently, I worked with the owners of Argonaut Books on the interior design of their first permanent brick-and-mortar bookshop in Edinburgh. This retail interior design project focused on creating a flexible, inclusive and community-led space in Leith that supports both in-store browsing and events, while strengthening the shop’s commercial identity and customer journey.
The Client: An Independent Bookshop in Edinburgh
What I loved about the main inventory of the shop was that it focuses on independent publishers, interesting genres and local authors – it was a curated and thoughtful selection of titles and writers. The owners wanted a physical space to set up shop and also provide an area to be used by book clubs, charities, film enthusiasts and poetry slams.
Their business resonated with me because they valued accessibility, transparency, fair pay, and good working hours for staff. It was a delight to see, so I was happy to help them out. I love designing spaces and areas which can be used by people from all walks of life. To me, good design is all about building something which focuses on the future we want to see, so when clients put accessibility at the forefront of what they’re doing, I love working with them.
Retail Interior Design Approach & Customer Journey
The design of the bookshop was a collaborative effort between the client and me. They’d built temporary bookshops before for events and had lots of great ideas about functionality, but it was my job to bring a clear retail identity and influence customers’ journey and decision-making. Inspiration was based on the 60s and 70s film aesthetic, Saul Bass and built with complementary elements of the Grecian urn and Ray Harryhausen. It was an absolute pleasure to work with the in-house graphic designer, Alex and discuss different ideas.
The client wanted hard-wearing, wooden floors – I had the perfect solution for it. The minute I saw reclaimed gym flooring, I knew it would be perfect for this space. The shelving was built according to a design the client had used before for a book festival, so the books were both modular and stackable, which helped us get as many bays in as we needed. Plus, the bottom shelf was tilted for accessibility.
The inspiration for the round counter came partly from the fabulous logo designed by Alex and the Doric columns of ancient Greece. Later, we decided to just use half a circle, which is attached to casters, so the layout can be changed.
My client was keen for the whole space to be wheelchair accessible and inclusive, so we designed the entrance to be level with the street, ensuring that the tables had room for a wheelchair to move between them and that the toilets were all on the same level.
We managed to get some amazing help from the client’s family, who assisted with painting and decorating. It was a wonderful team effort that I was so proud to have been part of. You can tell that this is a passion project, and every person involved was keen to see the shop come to fruition.
I also had the pleasure of working with a lovely Edinburgh-based textile artist and designer, Emma, who did a bespoke window book display.
Before (Interior of Argonaut Books)
Outcome: A Flexible and Inclusive Retail Space
This project was a lot of fun, and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to help design this bookstore. I hope that it’s everything my clients want, and I look forward to seeing how the shop becomes part of the community!
This project is a great example of how thoughtful retail interior design can support independent businesses by improving accessibility, customer flow and flexibility. I specialise in retail interiors for independent shops and brands across Edinburgh and Scotland, helping owners create spaces that are both commercially effective and community-focused.
