Buccellati’s 19th-century ‘jewellery box’ of a Milan store gets a new look

In partnership with Buccellati

Interior designer Chahan Minassian has overseen a masterful restoration and expansion of the Buccellati jewellery and silverware store at Palazzo Gavazzi, Via Montenapoleone, Milan. Having previously worked on the extensive renovations of Paris’ Hôtel de Crillon, a property dating from the 18th century, Minassian was tasked by the Buccellati family to create a private, elegant and refined new space on the property’s first floor that would honour the building’s neoclassicism while remaining sensitive to the 100-year-old jewellery and silverware house’s historical identity.

In partnership with Milan’s Studio Quadrilatero, the palace’s ‘jewellery box’ features – including frescoed ceilings and Murano glass chandeliers – were enhanced through Minassian’s careful deployment of high-quality materials and opulent finishes. Now transformed into a beguiling boutique, the first floor is accessed via a grand staircase that leads to an entrance hall and, beyond, a series of rooms and grand halls and hallways.

In smaller, private rooms, customers can enjoy an intimate and exclusive experience with Buccellati’s signature jewellery and silverware pieces, while a small atelier allows customers to observe the house’s craftspeople at work; white- and yellow-gold pieces are meticulously carved like lace and set with rare stones of extraordinary colours, created using historic hand-engraving techniques.

Palazzo Gavazzi dates back to 1838 and1839, and architect Luigi Chierichetti’s Neoclassical façade – complete with Doric-style and Corinthian-order pilasters and a large balcony – is matched by an interior containing period romantic frescoes along with mosaic flooring interspersed with small tiles. Complementing the palatial schematics, every item of furniture and lighting for the renovation – sofas, console tables, chairs, tables, coffee tables and rugs – was bespoke-made by Minassian’s studio, Chahan Interior Design. The furnishings’ organic, biomorphic lines, typical of the Parisian/Armenian designer, are embellished by fine Italian fabrics from Bevilacqua, Fortuny and Rubelli.

With a material and colour palette focused on gold, lunar silver, bronze and metallic notes, the Buccellati aesthetic is reflected in iridescent silks, champagne-tinged mirrors and wire mesh weaves. The house’s vintage window displays have been incorporated into the new design, given a contemporary but respectful spin by Minassian.

‘The palazzo’s vast piano nobile, with its extraordinary architectural features, original wood decorations and mosaic floors, was a real find,’ says Minassian. My aim was to coordinate and juxtapose these elements with the Buccellati identity, ensuring that the space would look as if it had always been there. Buccellati is a byword for luxury and history, and I wanted to showcase this heritage in a fresh, contemporary way that would make both the customers and the public feel at home.’

Buccellati, Via Monte Napoleone 23, 20121 Milano, buccellati.com