La Nuvola (Interior)
Strategy, Interior, Marketing
BRIEF
La Nuvola is a boutique Italian creperie and dessert bar inspired by a vintage Fiat aesthetic, floating in cloud‑blue curves, chrome accents, and sleek stainless detailing paired with pozzetti gelato, maritozzi, tiramisu, and a converted 1960s Fiat icon that brings a sweet slice of Italy to Melbourne's CBD.
APPROACH
Our clients envisioned a sleek, retail-style interior that subtly pays homage to their muse, an iconic 1960s Fiat. A mirrored ceiling amplifies ambient light and chrome detailing, expanding the sense of space while nodding to classic automotive finishes. Curved joinery and polished chrome mirror the Fiat’s fluid silhouette, set against a crisp white mock-stone wall that provides tactile contrast and visual grounding. Floating beneath custom cloud-shaped light boxes, the sculptural banquette evokes weightlessness, softly lit with an even, diffused glow. Edge-lit frosted perspex shelving and recessed stainless-steel pozzetti inserts create a refined display system, accentuated by CNC-cut metal laminate etched with the brand’s signature cloud motif. A concealed digital screen enables modern visual merchandising while maintaining a clean, monochromatic palette. The result is a compact yet immersive retail environment where reflective surfaces, sculptural forms, and ambient lighting come together to express the spirit of La Nuvola.
OUTCOME
La Nuvola merges narrative, function, and brand into a seamless spatial experience. Rather than relying on superficial theming, the project weaves its automotive muse the 1960s Fiat into the very fabric of the design. Branding is embedded architecturally through precision-cut joinery and CNC-etched metal laminates, elevating it from graphic application to spatial identity. Functional elements like edge-lit perspex shelving and recessed stainless-steel pozzetti cleverly marry hygienic practicality with display sophistication, reflecting best practice in food retail. The meticulous execution of the custom cloud‑blue palette matched precisely to vintage Fiat paint codes demonstrates an unusually high level of material discipline for a boutique hospitality venue. The integration of a repurposed Fiat as a central design anchor adds both visual storytelling and functional anchorage, reinforcing brand authenticity. By achieving immersive atmosphere, operational efficiency, and emotional resonance within a compact footprint, La Nuvola redefines what small-format dessert venues can aspire to be.
TESTIMONIAL
“La Nuvola is a really important shop for us because from the beginning, that was our first idea when we jump into the hospitality scene. We wanted it to work, we wanted it to be beautiful and to impress the people. We want people to stop when they look at the shop. It needs to be amazing.
We have worked with BrandWorks before for another project (Pierluigi), and since they did such a great job with it, we know they are able to do this. With tight budget constraints, they are able to deliver. Everything's really well made and thoughtfully designed. Like all the joinery, the cupboards, they are really well done.
We are very happy with everything.”
- Pierluigi & Amber Ostuni, Owners
