Amongst the houses of our childhood dreams, there’s the hut on top of a tree and an old mill.
Located in Salento, Ludovica+Roberto Palomba designed their vacation retreat. The mill dates back to the 17th century and exhibits thick walls and high vaulted ceilings a stella, named after its resemblance to the shape of a star. The project used this historic wrapping and adapted it to a contemporary habitat through finishes, fittings, and modern furniture.
The integration of the typical Lecce stone in the project expresses the link of the house with the ‘genius loci,’ the genius of the place. In the bathroom, the limestone textures of the walls and bathtub endow the space with an ancestral character. The faucet is from the Faraway collection, designed by the architects for Zuchetti. The kitchen furniture combines the El_01 and Slim, both designs by Ludovica+Roberto Palomba for the firm Elmar, with a stainless steel finish.
The pieces of furniture designed by the couple coexist happily under the century-old vaults and masonry walls. Abanica chairs, designed by Oscar Tusquets for Driade. Wall lamp by Paolo Rizzatto for Flos, Ninfea & Loto white side tables and Pianoalto sofas by Zanotta. The Zen wood screen, by Exteta, the Karpeta carpet, or the Morphing mirror by Kos are used in conjunction with some pieces designed by the owners and with others that belonged to them for generations.
In this project, sobriety matches sensuality. To achieve that union of asceticism and hedonism, it is all a matter of forms in space and how the light moves within.
Photo:Francesco Bolis
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