Celebration of Georgian Culture: Ghaema Milan by Rooms Studio.

Rooms Studio have unveiled their first hospitality project at this year’s Milan Design Week, a Georgian restaurant in the heart of Milan. Named Ghaema, translating to ‘Good for you’, the interior presents a unique opportunity to experience the forgotten wonders of Georgian culture from its cuisine to its art, music and design.

Imagined as a meditative space, the restaurant’s design is anchored by the use of simple shapes, raw and natural materials, and repeating motifs. Woven throughout the two main spaces, variations of collectible pieces from Rooms Studio can be found, creating an otherworldly atmosphere reminiscent of simultaneous remembrance and discovery—a signature of the Tbilisi-based duo, Nata Janberidze and Keti Toloraia’s unique aesthetic.

Pieces on display include the Lover’s Sofa, Triple Console, Supra Table, Pomegranate Chair, Iron Chandelier, Chess Table, a resurrected Archive Wall Cabinet and tapestries such as Two Deer at Night and Goat and the Staircase (a new piece, making its debut in the restaurant). Custom, hand-painted textiles used as curtains in the main room act as imaginary borders of the area that serves as a freestyle commonplace, a space of communal feast or supra (სუფრა), a festive mainstay in Georgian social culture.

The second space, a more laid-back area, was created in the mindset of an archival room. A new, floor-to-ceiling library shelving houses a mixture of old books, authentic Georgian artifacts, and unique sculptures created by various artists, inviting guests to discover something new every time they visit the restaurant.

The menu has deep roots in the country’s history while towing the mindful line between innovation and tradition, new methods and classic ones. The menu’s offerings pair poetically with an unprecedented selection of handcrafted natural wines produced by small, local cellars that follow the 8,000-year-old winemaking method in Qvevri (Amphora).

Wild Minimalism Collection by Georgian Design Studio Rooms.

Wild Minimalism by Rooms is a collection of seven handcrafted sculpture pieces, which debuted during Milan Design Week 2016 at Sapazio Rossana Orlandi...

[Images courtesy of Rooms Studio. Photography by Adrianna Glaviano.]