Best Retail Interior Design Studios in Italy: A Project Shortlist
An editorial shortlist for commissioning a retail interior, with project references and a way to compare the appointment each studio proposes.
A boutique built around private appointments asks for different design experience from a furniture showroom or a shopping gallery. When choosing a retail interior design studio in Italy, look at how its work relates the brand, the premises and the way customers will be served.
AD’ Design Studio publishes this editorial selection and is included below. The three profiles draw on the official sources linked in the text and appear alphabetically. They are options to discuss for your project, with no ranking of design quality.
Three practices, different project references
| Studio | A useful reason to consider the studio | Evidence or scope to examine |
|---|---|---|
| AD’ Design Studio | A complete boutique, store or showroom interior developed around the brand | The retail service scope and documented approach to bespoke interior details |
| Lombardini22 | Retail within a larger commercial property or complex architectural setting | Its retail portfolio and the Galleria Alberto Sordi redevelopment |
| Matteo Thun & Partners | A product showroom or brand interior with a clear architectural concept | Euromobil Showroom Milan, attributed to Matteo Thun & Antonio Rodriguez |
Use the references to decide whom to meet. The conversation should establish availability and the work each practice would undertake for your premises.
AD’ Design Studio: the complete retail interior
AD’ develops retail interiors for boutiques, stores and showrooms. Layout, materials, lighting and bespoke fixtures form one interior design, developed in Italy with the client’s appointed local team.
The starting point is the collection, how customers will be served and the space available. The appointment defines the drawings and specifications, sample decisions and technical interfaces. Site visits and construction-stage involvement are set out for the project.
At Hotel Eden Spa in Rome, AD’ developed illuminated stone and bespoke glass display details. This is a hospitality reference showing work on materials and fabrication. For a retail commission, discuss how that approach would respond to the merchandise, service and character of the brand.
Lombardini22: retail within the wider property
Milan-based Lombardini22 presents a retail practice covering shopping centres, outlets, retail parks and stores. Its portfolio provides references at different commercial scales.
The Galleria Alberto Sordi redevelopment in Rome covers entrances, shopfronts, building systems and lighting within the historic gallery. It is a reference for an owner considering how individual premises relate to a larger property.
Separate the tenant interior from any work to the building or common areas when discussing the commission. Establish which disciplines and approvals the practice would handle and how landlord requirements fit the design.
Matteo Thun & Partners: architecture around the product
Euromobil Showroom Milan is listed as a completed interior design project on the official website, with the design attributed to Matteo Thun & Antonio Rodriguez. The presentation describes a setting for kitchens through natural light, restrained colour and flexibility.
For a brand whose products need to be experienced within a room, examine how the collection relates to the surrounding architecture. Then discuss how the studio would approach your own products and premises.
A showroom may accommodate demonstrations and professional appointments alongside browsing. Describe those visits and how displays may change over time.
Make the proposals comparable
A portfolio helps you choose whom to meet. A proposal should explain what the studio will develop and what the people carrying out the work will receive.
| Ask each shortlisted studio | What the answer should clarify |
|---|---|
| Which spaces and design stages are included? | Whether the commission covers the whole interior and develops beyond the concept |
| Which drawings and specifications will be issued? | What the local team and makers receive for each package |
| How will the interior meet the landlord’s requirements? | The technical interfaces and specialists involved |
| How are bespoke fixtures developed? | Responsibility for details, samples and fabrication information |
| What happens during construction and installation? | Site involvement, design decisions and the handling of changes |
| What does the opening programme depend on? | Surveys, approvals, design choices, purchasing and works |
Compare the fee with those deliverables. Furniture selection, a brand concept and a complete interior appointment involve different work.
For decisions within the store itself, AD’s guide to nine retail interior design decisions explores the relationship between products, service and space.
Bring AD’ the brand and the premises
Tell the studio what you sell and the property you are opening or refurbishing. Include the location, approximate area and opening date you are working towards. Plans, photographs, the project stage, investment range and people already involved help define the complete interior appointment.
Explore AD’s retail design service, then share the brief for your boutique, store or showroom.