Can you talk me through the Rossella project? What was the idea for the project?
Rossella is a third-generation Italian restaurant, with roots stretching back to the family's first restaurant in the 1960s. For their second site in Muswell Hill, the ambition wasn't to recreate the past, but to celebrate the family's journey across generations.
Rather than referencing a single moment in time, the design brings together influences from each era of the restaurant's history. Furniture, materials and architectural details have been carefully layered to reflect the evolution of the family and the business, creating an interior that feels as though it has naturally developed over decades. The result is a space that is nostalgic without feeling contrived - warm, authentic and full of character.
Where did you look for inspiration before designing the space?
Our inspiration came primarily from the 1960s and 1970s, when the different generations of the family were establishing and expanding Rossella. We researched the interiors, materials, colours and textures of the period to understand how spaces of that era felt and functioned.
Rather than creating a period piece, we wanted to reinterpret these influences in a contemporary way. This approach allowed us to layer references from different decades throughout the restaurant, reinforcing the concept of time and ensuring the space felt authentic, lived-in and true to the family's story.
Why did you choose Agua for the project and what fabrics did you require for the job?
We were looking for a high-quality velvet for a full-height feature curtain that would frame the front elevation of the restaurant. It was important that the fabric had a rich, consistent colour that didn't noticeably shift with the direction of the pile, allowing it to maintain a calm, elegant appearance throughout the day.
The warm tone of the velvet chosen (Segunda Gold) also worked beautifully with the natural and artificial lighting, helping to create a soft glow that draws people in from the street. Alongside the aesthetic qualities, the fabric also needed to perform in a busy hospitality environment, so durability, stain resistance and ease of maintenance were all key considerations.
What is your experience of working with Agua? How does the team typically help you achieve your goals?
Working with Agua was a very positive experience. Sally was incredibly responsive throughout the specification process, helping us source suitable fabrics quickly and providing all the technical information and specification sheets we needed to make informed decisions.
Although the client managed the fit-out directly, we specified Agua's products as part of our design to ensure the quality and performance of the materials aligned with the overall vision for the project. Having a knowledgeable and reliable team to support the specification process made it much easier to deliver a cohesive design with confidence.
For more on Faber Design, click here.
For more on Segunda Gold, click here.
