Conceived by GRAS, Custom Lane is a collaborative platform created to identify, support and celebrate emerging world-class design in Scotland.
At the heart of our organisation is collaboration. Whether you are based in our workspace, or hiring our multi-use exhibition and event space, we strive to work with you to extend opportunities and achieve the highest quality outcome across all projects.
Custom Lane is an evolving, collaborative experiment in creating the most engaging, enriching and enjoyable work environment for designers and design-led makers in Scotland. It has been incredibly exciting to watch a community grow around the seed of an idea and for residents take ownership of the concept and space, creating a thriving, productive culture.
Mella Shaw: Tumbling Form
Excursion, 2017
Photography by Shannon Tofts
Isabelle Moore: Rocking Perch Stool
Design Thinking, 2017
Photograph by Shannon Tofts
We have both a core (curated by Custom Lane) and partner programme of events and exhibitions. Our core programme showcases Scottish and international design across multiple specialisms and our partner programme provides an opportunity for organisations and individuals to work with our unique spaces.
Comprised of a café, shop, gallery, event space and workshop our ground floor is fully accessible to the public and offers the ‘best coffee in Leith’. Upstairs is home to our workspace where we provide newly renovated space dedicated to design and creative development.
For more information see our Workspaces.
Building Partners
Our partners have worked with us from the start and have all helped to form Custom Lane's development.
GRAS is a Scottish design studio, formed in 2006 as part of the established conservation practice Groves-Raines Architects Ltd.
GRAS was awarded the Grand Prix at the Scottish Design Awards 2017 for its work on Craft Scotland & Emergents at London Design Fair.
Established in 1972, Groves-Raines Architects Ltd. is an award-winning architectural practice dedicated to the conservation and sustainable re-use of historic buildings.
www.gras.co
Human Resources is a cross-disciplinary, independent micro-design studio based in Edinburgh, Scotland, working with clients world-wide.
Human Resources collaborate with clients, agencies and in-house teams to help realise their creative vision and communicate what they do to the world, translating ideas and purpose into meaningful, commercially right solution exploring the fields of arts and culture, fashion and retail, design, digital and new media.
www.instagram.com/humanresources_
Williams & Johnson are a micro coffee roastery based in Leith who run their flagship café from Custom Lane.
www.williamsandjohnson.com
Edinburgh Tool Library is the UK’s first tool library, promoting sharing as a way of reducing our environmental impact.
They lend members tools for DIY, gardening, decorating and machine repair, so that they don’t need to own them. Not only does this collaborative approach make sense environmentally, it also helps members financially.
Being a member of ETL gives you access to over 4000 tools without the need to store them, maintain them, or buy them in the first place.
edinburghtoollibrary.org.uk
In Celtic cultures, a bard is a traveling storyteller and champion of noble deeds.
Bard is a shop and gallery for Scottish craft and design, based in Leith, Edinburgh, founded by husbands Hugo Macdonald and James Stevens. We tell stories about ideas, people and objects that forge Scottish cultural identity, past, present and future. Our mission is twofold: we believe that living with craft can ground and elevate our daily experience, at home and in society; we also believe that Scottish craft and design is ripe for a global audience. If it’s true that we are what we make, then we want to show the world that we are made of more than tartan shortbread tins.
www.bard-scotland.com
Scottish Historic Buildings Trust plays a unique role in preserving and promoting the nation’s heritage. The Trust collaborates with local communities and specialists to preserve significant properties at risk in Scotland. With a small team and no public funding we have already restored over 30 buildings and raised in excess of £30 million.
Our team has specialist skills in historic building preservation, fundraising, project management and property management. We also bring expertise in event management, building interpretation and in delivering educational programmes.
www.shbt.org.uk
Channel22 is a growing home for healers, teachers, creators, students and seekers of health and holistic wellness. Wherever you are.
channel22.co.uk
A relaxed and approachable setting to enjoy a menu of small plates and carefully selected wines to drink in or take away from independent producers.
www.mistral-leith.co.uk
