Michelin-starred Contraste restaurant in Milan is not your ordinary dining experience. Just like its name suggests, the spot is a perfectly imperfect mix of colours, shapes and textures that is both joyful and fun.
Contraste restaurant sets a new tone Milan
Led by Uruguayan chef Matias Perdomo, Argentinean sous-chef Simon Press and Italian maître Thomas Piras, Contraste was founded in 2015 and has just been renovated by Debonademeo Studio. The project took into consideration the building’s historical and artistic heritage, functional needs linked to the restaurant’s operation, and the experiential aspect for diners.
According to the Italian design firm, the renovation of the interiors was not simply a restyling but a scientific analysis led by a technical committee, ‘revealing late 19th-century surfaces, stuccoes, decorative apparatus and frescoes’. Upon passing through a champagne-coloured entrance featuring a wall sculpture known as ‘The Secret’, diners can discover the four distinct restaurant rooms and single relaxation area that make up the new Contraste, each inspired by one of the four elements and its associated colours. Similar to a theatrical stage, a system of full-height velvet curtains in four vibrant colours opens and closes the scenes, allowing each space function independently as required.
In addition, specialists from contract design company Allestimenta, with the help of selected craftsmen, restored the building’s original elements, such as doors, windows, stucco work, frescoes, handles and the large wooden fireplace. Debonademeo also focused on designing for ‘psycho-physical and sensory comfort’, sourcing sound-absorbing curtains and floors or creating a tranquil Klein-blue relaxation area.
The entire experience offers an immersive journey of colour and contrast, where even ‘the flavours of the dishes reflect the interior’s [juxtapositions]’, say the Debonademeo team.
Contraste restaurant is located at Via Giuseppe Meda, 2, Milan, contrastemilano.it
-
‘Water is coming for the city, how do we live with that?’ asks TBA21 in VeniceArt advocacy and activism platform TBA21's Venetian project, Ocean Space, addresses the climate issues the city is facing
-
In Shanghai, Hermès conjures a ‘cosmopolitan explorer’ for its one-off show on the Huangpu RiverNadège Vanhée, artistic director of Hermès’ womenswear collections, presented ‘The Second Chapter’ of her A/W 2025 collection earlier this evening (13 June 2025) against the futuristic skyline of Shanghai
-
Out of office: the Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the weekIt was a jam-packed week for the Wallpaper* staff, entailing furniture, tech and music launches and lots of good food – from afternoon tea to omakase
-
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
-
Five tranquil suites by Patricia Urquiola suspend visitors ‘between sea and sky’ in CapriPatricia Urquiola dreams up a study in contrast and tradition for the next chapter of Jumeirah Capri Palace
-
Sun-soaked European destinations to visit in springDreaming of Florentine palazzos and Greek islands now that the weather is starting to turn? Check into one of these beautiful European hotels and holiday homes
-
Everything you need to know about Italy's Lake Maggiore, according to FormafantasmaFrom baroque gardens to panoramic views, Andrea Trimarchi and Simone Farresin show us around this Italian escape
-
Wallpaper* checks in at Romeo Roma: a new hotel that’s one of Zaha Hadid’s last projectsLocated within Rome’s Tridente, Romeo Roma is a palimpsest of periods in which the late Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid left her avant-garde mark
-
Five influential women hoteliers reflect on the changing face of hospitalityAs women continue to gain ground in the hotel sector, despite still being underrepresented in senior positions, five female moguls share their experiences of the past and projections for the future
-
Must-visit cinemas with award-worthy designThere’s more magic to the movies at these design-led cinemas, from Busan Cinema Centre’s ‘flying’ roof to The Gem Cinema Jaipur’s art deco allure
-
The best Milan bars for a fashionable aperitivoMilan’s after-dark renaissance is evident in a new wave of design-led cocktail bars, setting the right mood for enticing aperitivos and nightcaps; Milan editor Laura May Todd recommends the best
