An interior that tells stories

In times when wineries compete to impress with technology, AYA Estate Vineyards chooses another path - the path of experience. In the place where the hills recede to open the horizon, interior designer Irina Ivanova turns architecture into a stage, and the space - into a quiet yet powerful backdrop for art, meditation, and understanding wine.

INTRO Design Studio - from the urban environment to the heart of the vineyards
Founded in 2004, INTRO Design Studio has a long history of creating meaningful interior spaces - from private homes to emblematic public buildings. In 2018, SEEWINES entrusted them with the design of their first office and wine shop on Bulgaria Blvd - an artistic combination of store, gallery, and tasting stage.
The successful collaboration led to the next major step - AYA Estate Vineyards. In 2020, Irina Ivanova was invited to create the interior concept for the public areas of the complex as well as for key industrial spaces - the fermentation and storage zones.

Her idea is clear:
the interior should not simply follow the architecture, but become its natural rhythm.

The Central Foyer - the core of the space

From the very first step, the visitor senses the monumental yet warm energy of the circular hall. The rammed concrete - the material of the façade - appears here again as a sculptural wall. The colour layers of the concrete replicate the terroir revealed during construction - as if the earth itself has passed through the walls and remained inside.

The furniture by Studio PIET BOON embraces the room as a completed circle — armchairs and sofas with finely crafted bronze legs and minimalist contours. Once seated, the space engulfs you with its scale, while the sound softens thanks to the HUNTER DOUGLAS acoustic felt ceiling, which almost blends with the floor and walls.

The furniture at AYA comes from MOHD — a partner we trust completely for their precision and attention to detail.

The Ramp to Level -1 - a journey inward

After passing through the circular hall, the architecture takes you and leads you downward - past a dramatically lit wall with the texture of earth layers. The ramp acts as a transition from the representative space to its quiet, inner zone - the DOMKAPA designer furniture and the FLOS lamps form areas for rest and conversation, ideal for breaks during events.

The Kitchen Before the Tasting Room - functional elegance

Before entering the circular tasting room, the visitor passes through a well-organized kitchen, separated from the hall by glass partitions with their own lighting. They are more than a divider - they store the entire “stage” of service: glasses, decanters, tableware. The SITAB doors open like an invitation to the heart of the winery.

The Tasting Room - the sacred circle

This is the most dramatic space in the winery. Elevated like a podium, the circular hall offers a 360° view of the wooden barrels - the temple of wine. The acoustics are precisely controlled through black metal slats with insulation above them, and the lighting can be functional or mystical - with circular lines and hidden illumination beneath the barrels.
The furniture is a work of art on its own:
- The table and chairs by VAN ROSUM - raw, minimalist luxury emphasizing materiality
- The lighting fixtures by DAVIDE GROPPI - light as a gesture
The door to the hall, designed by INTRO Design, can “perform” - separate, connect, or open the space during large events.

The Enoteca - the chamber stage

Initially conceived as a place for private collections, the enoteca has been transformed into an intimate space for meetings, tastings, and storage of the winery’s vintages. Fifty private safes await collectors. The lighting is theatrical - several circles allowing different atmospheres. The soft seating area features FRIGERIO armchairs - an elegant Italian signature.

The Staircase - a flight above the vineyards

The only space without a panorama becomes the most unexpected one - a four-story vertical print of aerial photographs of the vineyards, taken by drone. As you ascend, the image unfolds gradually - a dynamic, almost cinematic scene, indirectly illuminated by MACROLUX profiles.
Here, artist Nedko Solakov leaves his small artistic “hidden notes,” as if whispered across the landscape.

The Atrium - minimalism and tradition

In the most panoramic spaces sit MORPHO bench seats by the Bosnian brand ZANAT - a company combining ancient wood-carving traditions with minimalist design. They bring human scale and warmth to the areas where nature enters through the large glass facades.

The Bar-Shop - mineral poetry

Here the natural stone Travertino becomes the accent - its picturesque layers resonating with the exterior concrete. The tables, designed by INTRO Design, are elevated to reveal the view. The chairs are by PROSTORIA. Cylindrical metal pedestals place the wines on a literal pedestal. Seating areas are shaped by low metal shelves that divide the space without interrupting the visual connection to Marianne Lang’s artwork on the back wall. The two central MAXALTO sofas complete the scene with the brand’s characteristic organic lines, while the remaining zones are furnished with NICOLINE pieces. The lighting - a combination of LUCEPLAN and NEMO - adds the finishing touch. 

AYA Estate Vineyards - a place where architecture, art, and wine speak the same language.

The project tells the story of the place. The layers of concrete, the textures, the preserved earth, the wood, the light - everything creates a backdrop in which the only main protagonists are the space, the art, and the wine.

Author: Irina Ivanova

Editor: Aya Estate Vineyards