Progetto50
Craftsmanship and luxury are two words that describe the Progetto50 collection. Toncelli, a renowned interior décor company from the province of Pisa, celebrated its fiftieth anniversary with walnut cabinets: three thematic colonne, or columns, designed to honor cocktails, cigars and wine. First designed in 2010, for the 2016 Eurocucina exhibit in Milano Toncelli presented a new version of one of these columns, this version dedicated to the world of wine. Behind its two narrow inlaid doors, the cabinet encloses a miniature enoteca or wine bar, complete with temperature-controlled wine cellar, space for bottle storage, sommelier’s tools, and a comfortable removable counter for serving fine vintages.
The importance of Tuscan culture
This union of innovative and traditional design is a tribute to Tuscan Renaissance skills, with its passionate attention to detail, choice of premium materials and homage to the history of the zone where Toncelli operates. The contribution of master Tuscan craftsmen was crucial. The doors of the new Colonna Vino are enhanced with thousands of pieces of painstakingly inlaid wood. They reproduce the plan of one of Milano’s neighborhoods, the fashion district that is home to the Toncelli showroom. An interplay of sections of ebony, wengé, elm, maple, poplar burl, myrtle and walnut intricately fit together by master craftsmen represent the urban structure.
The deisgn’s theme
The design introduces the theme of journey that will characterize the new limited editions dedicated to the major cities in the world. The inside of the cabinet reveals hidden mechanisms, secret compartments, drawers and containers. The fridge can hold 36 bottles at temperature ideal for many types of wine. The shelving holds 48 more. The glasses are arranged on six shelves with two extra compartments for glasses.
The columns
The same care is shown in the Cigar Column and the Wine Column. The first contains humidifiers that guarantee the right environment, maintaining the constant balance between temperature and humidity needed for conserving cigars. The inside of the cabinet is in Spanish cedar, wood chosen for its pungent fragrance that favors the conservation of the cigars and protects the tobacco from parasites. In the lower section of the chest are extractable trays to hold chocolate, playing cards or dice. This elegant space also has room for a bottle holder and a section for tasting spirits. The doors of the Cocktail Tower, made from inlaid wood suggesting Manhattan’s skyscrapers, refer to the classic whisky cocktail as well. Inside are leather-lined shelves, bottle holders, sections for utensils. These three columns, or ‘towers’ are works of art that marry beauty and function, recapturing the 15th century Tuscan Renaissance tradition of mathematical perspective inlay dating back to Florentine architect, Filippo Brunelleschi.
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