House of Black have completed the interior design of Akira Back at The St. Regis Rome, marking the celebrated chef’s first restaurant in Rome. The design transforms historic interiors into a sequence of atmospheric dining experiences, weaving contemporary Japanese sensibility through Rome’s layered heritage.
Design concept: hidden portals in the Eternal City
The design narrative draws from Rome’s enduring identity as a city of unexpected connections – portals that link distinct worlds, stories and eras. House of Black translated this into a journey of intimate, interconnected rooms, each revealing a new dimension of the Akira Back experience.
Toni Black, CEO of House of Black, said: “Rome reveals itself through a sequence of thresholds, portals that connect stories, eras and experiences. These moments of transition became the anchor for how we shaped the spatial journey.”
Despite Akira Black being a global brand, the design intent for the project was personal. Artwork, for example, by Young Hee Back, Chef Akira Back’s mother, was used throughout the space. Her expressive pieces, printed on fabric and wall coverings, add deeply personal and meaningful layers.
The spaces
Dining Room 02 – draws inspiration from the depth, movement, and drama of Young Hee Back’s artwork, creating an immersive and atmospheric dining experience. Richer furniture tones and a timber floor bring warmth and intimacy. Connected through three glass portals to neighbouring dining spaces, the room builds a quiet sense of luxury, intrigue, and discovery as guests move through the experience.
Dining Room 03 – Deep red and burgundy tones found within Young Hee Back’s artwork, introducing a warmer, more dramatic atmosphere, also inspired by another layer of the stained-glass colour influences. A bronze mesh arch extends across the ceiling to gently wrap the space in a soft, layered glow.
Dining Room 04 – Passing through the glowing portal, guests transition into an inky blue space with its own distinct character, allowing each dining room to unfold as a separate chapter within the larger experience, leaving a unique sense of memory and discovery.
Private Dining Room – The Private Dining Room was conceived as another hidden discovery, discreetly accessed via its own hidden corridor. Within the experience, set apart in its own secluded enclave, where rich materiality and a heightened sense of intimacy create an intimate retreat, shaped by the deep green and gold tones of the painting uncovered during our initial site visit. Rich materiality, warm lighting, and layered textures create a space that feels quietly luxurious, secluded, and distinctly personal.
Toni said: “Each portal opens into a space with its own character, layered through colour inspired by Rome’s stained glass. The artistry of Young Hee, Akira Back’s mother, creates a sequence of distinct destinations, each with its own story, identity and personal connection.”
Materials and craft
House of Black’s material palette is built on the idea of layering – elements that veil, reveal, and frame the dining experience.
Key material and design features include:
- Textured glass in jewel tones evokes Rome’s cathedral windows.
- Woven metals, tactile fabrics, and textured wall coverings add depth and atmospheric lighting.
- Original architectural features – ornate cornicing, marble detailing – are preserved and enhanced.
- Rich timber flooring, plush velvets, supple leathers, luxurious stone, and antique bronze accents create a sensorial experience that feels contemporary yet timeless.
- Soft, curved furniture – banquettes and dining armchairs that offer a sense of embrace, inviting guests to sink into their plush surroundings.
- In collaboration with Artin Lighting, the lighting scheme theatrically enhances each distinct space while weaving in conceptual threads of intrigue, mystery, eternity and hidden portals.
Akira Back at The St. Regis Rome opens within one of the city’s most storied luxury addresses, a hotel that has long set the standard for Roman hospitality. The collaboration between House of Black, Chef Akira Back, and The St. Regis marks a significant moment – for the restaurant as well as Rome’s broader dining landscape. As the chef’s first foothold in Italy, it signals a new chapter in the globalisation of his culinary vision, and cements House of Black’s reputation for design that shapes brand concepts into awe-inspiring spaces.
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