Potafiori is a perfect example of the cool, unexpected layer that is slowly cloaking Milan with a number of hidden jewel destinations. Part flower shop, part cocktail bar and all day restaurant-cafe, the eclectic scene is governed over by Rosalba Piccini, a jazz singer and florist with bright red hair and a vivacious, winning personality. Piccini runs the floral-laden locale like an all day café as well as a bustlingly nightclub, offering fluffy cappuccinos in the morning and often breaking out into jazz songs while her rowdy friends bang out tunes on the piano during aperitivo hour. The infectious, unusual activity unfolds in a space that is just as unexpectedly stylish. Designed by Michele Pasini, Barbara Ghidoni and Marco Donati of Milan based architectural firm Storage Associati, the locale has the sleek look of a high-end, minimally drawn spa. The duo broke down all of the small partitions within the space and built up clean walls in concrete panels to support the original arches of the 20th century building’s interiors. Long benches were cut from huge slabs of Ceppo Lombardo, a rugged limestone found locally, as was a buffet bar that houses both food and flowers, and a fountain for watering plants that features custom designed brass pipes. Meanwhile, the earthy wood floors, restored and painted an oatmeal colour, contrast with the mud grey walls, an iron flower bar, as well as black laquered tables with matching Cassina chairs.
ADDRESS
via Salasco 17
-
Tour David Lynch's house as it hits the marketDavid Lynch's LA estate is for sale at $15m, and the listing pictures offer a glimpse into the late filmmaker's aesthetic and creative universe
-
A new Tadao Ando monograph unveils the creative process guiding the architect's practiceNew monograph ‘Tadao Ando. Sketches, Drawings, and Architecture’ by Taschen charts decades of creative work by the Japanese modernist master
-
Inside the sculptural and sensual philosophy of jewellery house RenisisSardwell, founder of jewellery house Renisis, draws on sculpture, travel and theatre to create pieces that fuse sensual form with spiritual resonance
-
This Italian palazzo-turned-café adds a dash of drama to your morning espressoDesigned by studio AMAA, Caffè Nazionale brings new energy to a 19th-century former town hall in the northern Italian town of Arzignano
-
Pierre-Yves Rochon celebrates ‘the great tradition of Italian design’ in Four Seasons Hotel Milano refreshThe sophisticated hotel’s 118 rooms and suites have been redesigned by the acclaimed designer and long-time collaborator of the brand
-
At this elegant new aparthotel in Florence, local living is done rightThis Time Tomorrow offers bespoke itineraries and neoclassical interiors that echo the city’s layered soul
-
Do luxury hotels need a farmer-in-residence?From Ibiza to Indonesia, hospitality brands are cultivating a new travel experience, where wellness begins in the soil and ends at the table
-
Il Sereno’s new Listening Suite is what phonophiles’ dreams are made ofDesigned by Patricia Urquiola and Il Sereno founder and audiophile Luis Contreras, the new Lake Como-facing suite unites Japanese listening culture with Italian design
-
Inside Belmond’s most exclusive holiday villa yet, a lavish Ligurian palazzoOnce the theatre of lavish parties, Villa Beatrice is now a palatial haven of seclusion with easy access to Portofino’s Splendido, a Belmond hotel
-
The most stylish hotel takeovers to pop up at this summerFrom Capri to Ibiza, luxury fashion brands are taking over seaside resorts with exclusive boutique pop-ups and bespoke poolside accessories
-
Detour Discotheque is bringing ‘the world’s dreamiest party’ to PugliaThe pop-up event, La Dolce Vita Disco, promises dancing, good food and sunshine in a 16th-century Italian farmhouse
