SEARCH From over 300 features and guides on this site
GRAND DESIGNS: TRADE SECRETS
Guide to Italian Interiors
Style to any Italian is as natural as learning to walk. But if you weren’t lucky enough to inherit it, don’t worry – it’s not that difficult. Here’s how to create a modern Italian interior without making it look like your local pizzeria!
Rule one is: avoid the traditional. The rich reds, vivid blues, tapestries and lace that look perfectly at home in Puglia may not have the same effect at home. So can you ever achieve a convincing Italian look back in the UK? Well, if you don’t try and replicate Italy piece by piece then there’s no reason why you can’t have a lovely warm Mediterranean feel.
As with many modern looks the key is simplicity. The Italian look, though, is anything but bland.
Try and include some older traditional items like furniture that reflect the local history. This restored Masseria is a fantastic example. Hand-painted floor tiles have been preserved and the rich colour scheme is very Italian, but the whole look has been brought up to date with chic modern furniture.
Don’t go mad. A few carefully chosen objects go a very long way. This place is such a delight - not only is it very simple, it’s full of incredibly beautiful details, and each detail tells a story. For example, a collection of sieves on the wall were used for sieving grain grown here on the Masseria and this very unique lighting feature is actually made up of bottles of the local liquor, flavoured with local ingredients. While this place is very modern, it really does live and breathe the local area.
With this style, it’s important to preserve and use what you’ve got. What is so inspiring and charming about this place is the way the designer has used very traditional features in very new ways - and there’s no reason why you can’t do the same back in the UK.
