The Fuajè Concept Rooms, a boutique hotel in the heart of Naples’ elegant Chiaia district, is based on the concept of a theatre foyer, an area for waiting and socialising before a performance. The name itself, from the Neapolitan word for foyer, references the hotel’s theatrical inspiration and its location close to the Sannazzaro Theatre, a historic presence within the city’s cultural and performing arts tradition. Here, under the artistic direction of RAG_Architettura, a 130-square-metre residence on the main floor of a 19th-century palazzo has been transformed into a hospitality venue that preserves echoes of the Neapolitan Belle Époque.
Architect Giuseppe Raimondo, the studio’s founder, oversaw not only the architectural design and furnishings but also the brand identity and other details, including the selection of artworks displayed throughout the hotel. The Belle Époque-inspired décor features a wealth of theatrical references: parquet floors, a corridor painted “gardenia red” like the seats in the stalls, galleries and boxes, and even a window that opens by means of a pulley-and-counterweight system inspired by the mechanics of a stage proscenium.
Another key design principle involved highlighting the building’s original features such as the high ceilings and large openings and restoring the wooden frames around windows and doorways, typical of a 19th-century Neapolitan noble apartment. The interior design makes a clear distinction between the “container” (the existing building) and the “content” (the new insertions), predominantly through the use of colour. Specifically, RAG_Architettura used shades of grey to identify the existing sections, while choosing four colours inspired by the materials, stratification and millennia-old history of Naples for the new suites, envisioned as volumes suspended within the space. ‘“Graphite” recalls the basalt paving of Neapolitan streets; “Gold” references the yellow tuff stone used – especially during the period of Spanish rule – to build large areas of the city including the Spanish Quarter; “Pinea,” a deep green, evokes the hills and Mediterranean pines long immortalised on postcards; and “Oltremare,” the colour of the largest suite, captures the deep blue of the Gulf of Naples. The bathrooms followed the same colour scheme as the guest rooms, with the wall tiles adding bold visual accents. Panaria Ceramica’s Workshop collection, small ceramic bricks with a glossy, subtly undulating surface and artisanal feel, was chosen in the 6.5×24 cm size in Berry (blue), Jade (green), Spice (yellow) and Core (black) versions to create a vibrant, striking play of light. This attention to detail is typical of RAG_Architettura’s meticulous, bespoke approach, which has transformed Fuajè Concept Rooms into a tailor-made project.
The surfaces from Panaria Ceramica enhance the spaces with their deep colours and resonant material effects, creating bathrooms that are immersive and appealing in perfect harmony with the hotel’s overall aesthetic language.
