Davinci Ristorante – Italian Roots by the Fjord

In 2006, we created the interior design for Davinci Ristorante when the restaurant moved to its waterfront location in Hadsund, overlooking Mariager Fjord and Hadsund Bridge. Designed to accommodate different ways of meeting, dining and spending time, Davinci combines restaurant, café and lounge with take-away and catering, while also providing the setting for larger gatherings and celebrations.

Born and raised in Belgium and now living in Denmark, Antonino Oliveto has never tried to escape his Italian roots – quite the opposite. He is Italian through and through, and that sense of identity is very much part of Davinci. It also became an important starting point for our approach to the restaurant.

The interior brings together Nordic simplicity and Italian warmth. Clean lines, light wooden floors and a restrained material palette form a calm architectural framework, contrasted by deep tones, warm reds and soft lighting. Long, heavy red velvet curtains introduce a sense of drama and theatricality, adding depth, richness and intimacy to the otherwise restrained interior. The result is a contemporary setting with a distinctly Italian atmosphere – without resorting to the obvious.

Graphic elements add another layer to the interior. Inspired by the name Davinci, works by Leonardo da Vinci were reinterpreted and incorporated into folding doors and lampshades, while the large kitchen cube was given its own distinctive linear graphic treatment. Rather than standing apart as decoration, the graphics form an integral part of the interior and its identity.

Our work extended from the interior itself to the complete visual identity, including the Davinci logo, menus and graphic applications across everything from glassware to the chefs’ aprons. Interior design and graphic design were developed as parts of the same identity, creating a coherent expression throughout the restaurant.

Today, Davinci combines its restaurant with take-away and catering and also provides the setting for larger gatherings – all in a wonderful location directly by the fjord. Having known and worked with Antonino and Davinci for many years, it is a project – and a friendship – that we continue to value greatly.