Tihany Design's New Rome Studio Preserves the Past With an Eye on the Future
Photography © Amaury Laparra
In Europe, preserving historic spaces is much more than a hot trend. It’s a fact of life. And Tihany Design's Rome studio provides a master class on how to do it brilliantly. Located just steps from Piazza Navona in a fabulous 19th-century palazzo, the 2,500-square-foot space has been reimagined for the Italian team’s work on Tihany's global projects.
Based in New York, Adam D. Tihany wowed the world with elegant hospitality and residential interiors for more than four decades. In 2000, he appointed the firm’s first-ever managing director, Alessia Genova, and he transferred ownership to her in 2024. After establishing a Roman presence in the early 2000s to support European and international projects, the team at Tihany Design Rome continues this mission in the new office they conceived and designed under Alessia's direction.
“Before becoming the Tihany office, the space had been used for commercial purposes of a different nature,” Alessia says. “The interiors already carried a strong architectural identity. Our renovation approach was to restore the integrity of what existed while introducing a contemporary layer through curated art and bespoke furniture. These new elements create a dialogue between the historical envelope and a more precise, modern sensibility.”
The artisanal terrazzo flooring from the 1920s was meticulously cleaned and polished to reveal its original depth and pattern. The frescoes on the soaring 15-foot ceilings were stabilized to retain their detail and patina. Historic artwork—including a 16th-century Roman wall painting and its 1970s reinterpretation—was carefully restored.
Tihany Design is known for its bespoke atelier philosophy. The Rome studio reflects this signature approach with custom furniture by an Italian manufacturer based in the Marche region. High-gloss lacquer cabinetry with bronze detailing and leather shelving is complemented by Jean Prouvé–inspired worktables clad in Italian saddle leather and finely sanded oak meeting tables. Bram Tihany, the founder’s son, contributed photographic works taken in Rome as a personal homage to the city.
“The studio was conceived as a space with soul, one that is carefully curated and shaped with intention,” adds Alessia. “This environment nurtures creativity in a subtle way. It is not imposed, but encouraged through a sense of balance, between calm and stimulation, structure and openness. The studio reinforces a deep and enduring connection to my Italian roots, while also expressing the broader identity of the firm today.”
According to Alessia, Rome is defined by accumulation. “Centuries of interventions coexist within a single frame,” she says. The Tihany Rome studio articulates the layered history—and beauty—of the city itself.
—Diana Mosher