Loretta Petti is a well-known person in the Stuttgart creative scene. She runs two Alimentari-stores with lunch and catering service. With her spontaneous and direct way she built an excellent reputation among the Swabian Italy-lovers. The idea of opening an original Tuscan „Trattoria“ with authentic Italian food has been a long desire of her. A perfect opportunity was given directly in new nightlife neighborhood along the Theodor-Heuss-Straße. The task was to connect a Tuscan atmosphere as a stage for the temperamental host with the rhythm of a posh bar area. Our studio developed the interior as well as the visual and communication design.
The desire for the almost stereotype image of Tuscany reflects often enough a desire for authenticity, hominess and a place within our urban and restless society. Instead of reproducing the used images of Tuscan architecture we tried to describe the ephemeral moment of 'feeling at home' with a collage of images of our subjective and collective memory. Hence there are only three large massive wood tables with 20 seats each and the guests take their cutlery and napkins directly out of the specially designed drawers in the table. The various elements of visual identity are carefully choreographed und thus create an integrated experience.
Room This room full of corners with many joists, protrusions and alcoves is distinctly defined by lowering the ceiling in the entrance area to the permitted height of 2.50; thus the remaining rooms appear somewhat larger. By using deep slots in the suspended ceiling, arriving, bar and bar area are distinctly ordered in a comparably narrow space.
Tables Guests sit next to three large massive wood tables with 20 seats each and take their cutlery and napkins directly out of the specially designed drawers in the table. While the rear table is fitted with classic Tuscan bast chairs, guests sit on long massive wood benches next to the two front tables. It becomes clear that communicative exchange is intended in ‘da Loretta’, but not intimate togetherness.
Kitchen A large window to the kitchen supports the lively atmosphere, since the hostess gets a stage not only in the restaurant but also during kitchen-work.
Lamps Modern ‘candelabra’ from metal fibre and naked bulbs support the spatial ordering. Two, respectively three candlesticks define the place of the eating tables. A smaller variation articulates the slots in the ceiling. The metal fibre creates an effective, small-part shadow play, which provides an exciting contrast to the openness of the room.
Wallpaper In collaboration with textile designer Monica Trenkler we developed stripe patterns of wallpapers. They have various, completely different styles. So very bourgeois textile wallpapers are next to modern metal wall coverings next to scanned and digital printed wood textures; thus quote in a modern way images of comfortable spaces. The wallpaper stripes create a 'Key Visual' of the corporate identity. Besides the wall design they define the design of the printed communication like business cards and wine card.
The task was to connect a Tuscan atmosphere as a stage for the temperamental host with the rhythm of a posh bar area.
The various elements of visual identity are carefully choreographed und thus create an integrated experience.