Chic Nonna

LEDFlex finds the perfect partnership with lighting designers, LW Design Group, Studio Lumen and Lighting Supplier, Acoulite, for Dubai’s latest and most prestigious dining destination; Chic Nonna.

Nestled in the heart of the International Financial Centre, Chic Nonna opened its doors in August last year, furthering the reach of the original restaurant, heralding from Florence, Italy; arguably the home of warm traditional family style hospitality. This leisure destination features opulent dining and private lounge areas that exude the personality of a grand villa at every level.

The lighting brief was to expand on the design touches one would expect to find in a classic historical Italian residence. The lighting had to ensure that zones within the space could be controlled and maintain their own personality as the key desire was to transport guests from the hectic environment outside to the tranquillity of a Mediterranean sanctuary. 

Specified by lighting designers Vinod Pillai and Lara Janessa in coordination with the interior design team at LW Design Group Rachel Kidd and Jesper Axel Petersen, the LEDFlex range played an integral part in this project. Custom lengths of Nano Flex and Ultimo Neon 16 Silicone have been used throughout to highlight shelving, cove recesses and stair risers. Guests are welcomed to the venue via the ground floor lounge which has an open plan layout with designated areas. There is a residential style bar counter leading to the restaurant space and outdoor deck. The interiors are adorned with nostalgic architectural Italian features, including shelves and alcoves integrated with LEDFlex linear light fittings. Bespoke joinery sits alongside hero art pieces hung on the walls for extra wow factor. LEDFlex luminaries were concealed into the intricate joinery and wall details to ensure a glare free environment. By virtue of its small size being 4mm wide, the Nano Flex was the perfect fit as it did not compromise the woodworking details and provided superior visual comfort. The colour temperature was specified at 2700K which complemented the overall warm ambience of the space and bines the theme together. 

This premier offering brings together authentic Italian culture, glamour and award-winning cuisine to the UAE.  The customer journey is meticulously planned giving guests a seamless experience where lighting has been used to indicate themed areas including a dance floor being home to live entertainment for the DJ and jazz sets. A ‘molecular’ glass chandelier spreads across the large bar creating a stylish retro statement allowing functional, entertainment and architectural linear lighting to work cohesively together.   

The results of this project are stunning and testament to LEDFlex being the designers’ choice for hospitality applications.