A creative bridge between past and presente in the Italian city of Milan, the homeland of interior design, can be found in the Pasticceria Cucchi. The interior designer Cristina Celestino has developed the project according to her vision of Pasticceria Cucchi as if it represents a creative interchange between past and present, with an eye on the future: the project thrives on eclectic references that freely draw on the interiors of the historic café chantant, the aesthetics of the world of fine pastries and the colorful personal vocabulary of the designer.

Cristina has imagined Caffè Concerto Cucchi as an urban oasis inspired by the hues and techniques of the art of pastry, projecting the atmosphere of the tradition into a vibrant space marked by unexpected insertions of colors and materials. Precious material, bright accents and appealing textures coexist in the various rooms, alongside witty, humorous touches.

Every intervention of the designer for Caffè Concerto Cucchi is a delicate balance of inlays, organized in inviting montages, stratifications, multicolored effects.

One example is the “Mirage” screen that adds rhythm to the interiors, made with a multi-level combination of threads of colored straw. The “Oasi” silk wallcovering – which forms the backdrop of the Tea Room – combines embroidery and metallic surfaces, while the tops of the “Canditi” tables in the outdoor area are made with precious inlays of multicolored marble.

The enhancement of the interiors features custom pieces or others selected with care by the designer, which embrace the historic settings of the pastry shop, reinvented down to the smallest details: from the carpeting inlaid with oversized pears, to the uniforms of the staff designed by Massimo Giorgetti, all the way to the packaging of the sweets. The pastry boxes, in three different formats, have been redesigned with an elegant pattern where geometric figures join illustrations of raspberries.

The new boxes decorate the space in a composition on the cabinets behind the counter, and have been conceived as souvenirs of the project for customers.
A selection of desserts, from single portions to the classic cakes, has been reinvented by the designer together with the master pastry chefs of Cucchi, becoming a tasty symbol of Caffè Concerto Cucchi.

Pasticceria Cucchi is one of Milan’s most historic venues. Founded in 1936 as a “Caffè Concerto” by Luigi Cucchi and his wife Vittorina.

Images are courtesy of Cristina Celestino.