Client
Mitchels and Butler
Location
Edinburgh
Date Completed
August 2019
Contract Period
4 weeks
Contract Sum
Approx. £650k
We were asked by iconic bar and restaurant brand Browns to develop a new interiors concept to be rolled out across their 35 branches in the UK over the next 5 years. Browns 2020 celebrates the heritage of the brand retaining its hallmark elements and adding a contemporary twist to create a simple yet classic feel.
Mackenzie Wheeler have updated and reinterpreted Browns’ signature look of potted palms, tiled floors, mirrors and brass accents, adding new colour palettes, bespoke lighting and seating, to refresh perceptions and appeal to new audiences without losing its traditional clientele.
At the grade 2 listed site at Edinburgh, formerly a bank, meticulously detailed designs celebrate the elegant architecture and lofty ceiling heights, drawing the eye up into the space with timber moulded wall panelling and a bespoke wallpaper ‘Colony Palm’ created by Glasgow-based Timorous Beasties. Browns’ signature black and white chequered floor is reconfigured into a new pattern, and jewelled colours and velvet seating are used to create a feeling of luxury and comfort. A combination of wall, floor and pendant lighting is used to create a warm and intimate ambience. Footfall at Browns Edinburgh in the first August after its opening was up 150% on the previous year.
