ToMi Negroni Bar

The new ToMi Negroni Bar on Malaya Bronnaya in central Moscow, designed by S+S (Sundukovy Sisters) Design & Architecture Studio, offers a contemporary interpretation of Italian culture, tradition, and the ornamental elegance of Art Nouveau. The brief was to create a space that evolves visually throughout the day, where fine decorative detailing meets the provocative energy of Italian street art.

Design Concept
S+S (Sundukovy Sisters) Design & Architecture Studio envisioned an interior that reinterprets the spirit of Milanese everyday chic. Every element is deliberate in meaning — even the name ToMi (Torino–Milano) nods to the cultural legacy of two northern Italian cities and the historic cycling race that once connected them. The result is a bold fusion of Italian Liberty style and contemporary irreverence.

During the day, the bar captures the relaxed tempo of aperitivo culture. As night falls, the mood shifts: saturated hues, dramatic lighting, and layered reflections transform the space into a full-bodied Negroni bar, echoing the vibrant rhythm of Milan after dark.

Layout
Despite its narrow, elongated footprint and single window, the interior gains spatial generosity through visual devices. A large mirror behind the bar counter expands the perspective, adding both depth and luminosity. The counter itself, carved from polished green marble and lowered on the guest side, forms the heart of the layout. Above it, a slender column rises and merges into the ceiling, its reflection forming a perfect circular focal point.

Along one wall, a custom velvet sofa unfolds in distinct modular sections, each with unique proportions and details. The black-and-white granite mosaic flooring introduces geometric structure and rhythmic continuity underfoot.

Challenges and solutions
Ornamental Art Nouveau gestures are integrated with restraint, maintaining a balance between elegance and modern sharpness. Transparent artworks reinterpret classical Italian paintings as contemporary posters, adding a playful tension. Upholstered elements feature graphic inlays that introduce movement while preserving softness and flow.

The interior’s identity evolves throughout the day: morning light reveals textures with clarity and calm, while evening illumination deepens into shadows and warmth, mirroring the amber tones of a Negroni. Select artworks are equipped with focused lighting that accentuates hidden, mischievous details — reinforcing the space’s playful duality.

Interior design
An Art Nouveau–inspired façade sets the tone from the street, leading guests into a richly textured interior where hand-applied plaster walls become a canvas for Italian narrative motifs.

At the core is the green marble bar — a sculptural, luminous anchor that reflects and refracts light across the space. Surrounding surfaces are clad in artisanal plaster, adding tactility and tonal nuance. A carved wooden wine cabinet, etched glass tabletops, and lush indoor greenery introduce visual layering and material depth.

The modular sofa’s flowing forms reference Liberty curves, while graphic accents in the detailing lend a contemporary rhythm. The patterned mosaic flooring grounds the composition and unites the space with a sense of quiet dynamism.

Even the restrooms reinforce the overarching concept: one clad in natural wood with a warm, enveloping character, the other glowing in gold. Both are unified through decorative Art Nouveau motifs and conceived as parallel interpretations of the same design vocabulary.

ToMi Negroni Bar is a study in contrasts — between tradition and modernity, structure and spontaneity, day and night. Through material, form, and light, it composes a richly atmospheric setting where cultural heritage is not preserved but reimagined, and every detail contributes to an elegant, immersive experience.

Design: S+S (Sundukovy Sisters) Design & Architecture Studio
Photography: Sergey Krasyuk