A new restaurant in Bucharest, Romania, showcases a striking interior design that combines high-gloss materials with warm adaptive lighting and geometric shapes. Millo restaurant, completed by local design duo AE02, features a theatrical atmosphere created through a rich interplay of textures, including lacquered walnut walls, reflective microcement flooring, terrazzo, and marble surfaces.
Designers Anda Zota and Elena Viziteu aimed to create a sophisticated dining experience through careful material selection and lighting design. "The design of Millo tells a story of materiality, light and meticulous detailing," said AE02 studio co-founder Anda Zota. "We wanted to keep the palette timeless and interesting at the same time, and felt like natural materials were the best choice. We liked the idea of lacquered wood because it feels elevated and unique."
Located on the ground floor of a contemporary but Art Deco-inspired office building in the Romanian capital, the restaurant's interior was designed to echo the architectural style of the wider building. The flooring reinterprets the geometric rhythm of the facade's columns through a combination of microcement and cast-in-place terrazzo, creating visual continuity between the exterior and interior spaces.
The restaurant's centerpiece is a rounded custom-made terrazzo dining table surrounded by a series of smaller individual tables around the perimeter. Above the main dining table, the designers created a sculptural ceiling feature described as a "volcano of light" that emits an orange, lava-like glow. This innovative lighting system adjusts the atmosphere from day to night, shifting from yellow to orange to red tones throughout the day.
Beyond its aesthetic appeal, the geometric ceiling feature serves a practical purpose by addressing the poor acoustics of the original space. The restaurant is equipped to host evening events and parties with a bespoke sound system by Finnish audio company Genelec and a small DJ booth. These technical elements are seamlessly integrated into the stainless steel and cherry Levanto marble bar and concealed beneath a removable wooden cover.
Toward the rear of the restaurant, a second terrazzo table serves as an informal space for drinks and small plates. An angular aluminum lamp, created by local metalwork designer Andrei Arion, runs along the table's length. Behind this seating area, a textured glass window framed by a geometric stainless-steel panel cuts through the wood-paneled wall, providing glimpses of silhouettes working in the kitchen.
"Pigmented in a warm reddish tone, the cocktail table creates a harmonious contrast with the high-gloss wooden walls," Zota explained. "These reflective surfaces echo silhouettes and light, adding a dynamic dimension to the space." The interplay of light and shadow was a key consideration for the designers, who added LED strip lighting at the base of the ceiling slopes to accentuate the textures and geometric forms.
The sophisticated material palette extends throughout the restaurant, including the bathrooms, where cherry Levanto marble walls and sinks are contrasted against stainless steel light fixtures. The warm-toned lacquered wood that envelops much of the space creates a cohesive design narrative that emphasizes both luxury and comfort. This attention to detail reflects the growing sophistication of Bucharest's restaurant scene, with several notable establishments recently gaining international recognition for their innovative design approaches.
