Anna Donahue's Design Blog

If you're from Grand Rapids or the West Michigan area you've heard of Noto's Old World Dining but have you been there lately and checked out the interior design? I am amazed at all of the interesting interior design elements. Every time I go there I hear about something new in the works. Tony Noto gave me a clue about his next idea, an agriturismo (more on that later), but says it's only in the planning stages. He's already got Bill Spagnuolo, "Spag," working on the concept.

Spag is the artist/designer behind the interior design of the entire building. The Noto family came to him with their plan to build this authentic Italian restaurant 15 years ago. " I took a look at the blue prints, scribbled all over them with my ideas and changed everything. They called me back and asked me to take over the entire job and get it done. I've never had anyone give me a design job no questions asked and let me do whatever I want."

"Whatever Spag wanted" turned out to be exactly what the Notos were looking for. The first thing you see when you enter through the giant wood doors is a beautiful mosaic pattern in the floor. This design is repeated throughout the building and with each hand laid tile I think they had a glass of wine. Tony worked on it himself along with other volunteers, "This medallion took 3 days and 3 bottles of wine." but maybe the next one was a little more complicated. "That one took 3 weeks and 3 cases of wine to complete" Tony says without cracking a smile.

Well, they do have plenty of wine. Straight ahead the wine room will catch your eye. This is the newest interior design project that Spag worked on. Behind the floor to ceiling glass wall are thousands of bottles of select wine displayed in the temperature controlled room. ​The bottles are stacked three deep and lay horizontally so you can read the labels on the open racks. Noto's features over 1,000 different authentic Italian varieties and their wine list reads like a novel with over 120 pages of different wines. Somewhere around 9,000 bottles are on site. Don't worry, if you can't decide which wine to order, Noto's will help you with that.

Also off the foyer are the entrances to the fireside lounge and the main dining room.  The lounge features a sweeping curved bar and an impressive mahogany fireplace. The interior design majors on curving shapes which carries your eye around the room to take in everything including the door to an outdoor patio and bocce courts.  The Dining room has 4 huge Tuscan columns anchoring the room. There's meaning behind everything and since the columns are actually structural they have significance. Each column represents a founding principle: Innovation, Passion, Ownership and Community. Noto's features Old World Dining in the sense that you can imagine yourself in old Italy. Even with elegant surroundings, you will feel as comfortable as you would in Mama's kitchen.

After enjoying your meal (if you like the sauce you will like everything) take a stroll down the promenade past the banquet rooms and check out the giant curving staircase that scales three stories. This interior design masterpiece is made of carrara marble imported direct from Italy and has a sculptured iron railing. At the top of the stairs is the ballroom and the Bella Torre, a room that feels like you're in a renaissance castle tower. The room has a 23 foot ceiling with a huge chandelier, stone block walls and 9 foot windows looking at nothing but sky. Custom tapestry banners hang from gilded decorative drapery rods and giant acanthus leaf sconces grace the walls. Noto's website features some beautiful photos from weddings in the Belle Torre which translates Beautiful Tower.

Descend the staircase all the way to the wine cellar for a pleasant surprise. Here you will see an amazing sequence of domes, each covered with 100 year old Chicago brick. The atmosphere is designed for the perfect 'dinner with wine' experience. I stand inside one of the domed areas and imagine having a quiet dinner in the low light with my husband. Hmmm, Cataloni sounds good and I hear it's Mama Noto's recipe. I'm ready to make our reservation for Noto's Old World Dining.