Venice Boutique

The location of the new boutique in Venice seemed strategic to intercept an international audience of true connoisseurs of beauty and Made in Italy. The space represents a showcase for the company and an “access portal” to Palazzo Barovier&Toso, on the nearby island of Murano, to date the largest and most prestigious of all the Barovier&Toso showrooms.

The new space is a miniature jewel, designed by Nichetto Studio as a tribute to the centuries-old tradition of the brand, which has its roots in the late 1200s. It is a small boutique with great communicative power with respect to the brand’s values and expertise. The focus of the exhibition is above all decorative objects such as vases and table lamps.

In this regard, Nichetto Studio provides the following design motivation:

“The beamed roofs of this space were the focal point of the design, and we capitalised on this unique feature to create a series of arches that lend a sense of depth. The combination of materials is a harmonious blend of Venetian terrazzo treated in soft tones on one side and contemporary smoothed concrete on the other.

At the heart of this design, we took inspiration from the Barovier cup (ed. masterpiece of Renaissance glass art, created by Angelo Barovier in 1460) and enlarged it out of scale to become the anchor point, imbuing the shop with a cozy living room ambiance. As Barovier&Toso is renowned for its lighting, we made a statement with a bespoke installation that serves both a lighting and architectural function, separating the store area from the showcase. Emphasising the brand’s historicity, the interior design reflects the look of a neoclassical monument, using raw stones to create shelves and frames behind the desk where the Barovier&Toso crest is carved in bas-relief.

A glass block wall, patterned after Doric columns, enhances the depth perception by allowing light from the back to shine through”.

Just a few months after the opening of the monobrand boutique in Calle Larga XXII Marzo in Venice, Barovier&Toso presents a new setting by inviting Nichetto Studio to envision a completely different scenario from the initial one. If the “Flora&Flutter” installation, introduced in June 2023, was characterized by a garden of lush plants in intense liquid cedar-colored Venetian crystal, today it is ignited with bright orange, suggesting the theme of fire.

At the top, the eye is attracted by an installation created with the Trim lamp, called to perform both as lighting fixture and as an architectural function, separating the shop area from the window. Four rows of hexagonal tubes in Venetian crystal descend from the ceiling to the floor, made with the ancient technique known as ice, to form a wall of fringed light with a crystallized effect. This wall gradually rises and becomes an arch, directing the gaze towards the Barovier&Toso crest, engraved in the block of stone that dominates the internal space.

Through Nichetto Studio’s new “Burning Light” window theme, visitors are immersed in the fiery soul of Murano glassmaking, represented by a visual metaphor of the incandescent flames of the furnace. A deconstructed chandelier - the iconic 4607, an example of Barovier&Toso’s exquisite craftsmanship - symbolizes the raw power of fire, used by skilled glassmakers to create their masterpieces. The elements in Venetian Crystal, meticulously blown one by one, are alive, radiating a kaleidoscope of reflected light behind an orange-red film placed entirely over the window.

“Burning Light” therefore pays homage to the centuries-old artisanal mastery of Barovier&Toso and is a tribute to the spirit and passion that “burn” in the souls of the company’s masters.