By revisiting tradition, architect and designer Graziana Calabrese has created a new concept of sober Apulian elegance. She trusted the Bronzetto Florentine artisan team workshop to customize the villa.

In the heart of the Apulian countryside, you will find a magical place between the wild nature of the olive groves of Contrada Coccaro and the beautiful coast of Savelletri, located a few minutes from the historic town of Fasano, known for its extra-luxury facilities and the landscape rich in ancient Masseria. The 600 sqm villa consists of 5 suites, 3 kitchens, a terrace with a whirlpool pool, gym, loggia, citrus and vegetable gardens, and one large swimming pool with solarium.

The project is a perfect example of “Quiet Luxury”, where every decorative element and interior material has been selected for its quality, beauty and ability to create a sophisticated yet cosy environment. The combination of natural materials and refined details contributes to a subtly luxurious atmosphere, creating a feeling of discreet elegance and sophisticated cosiness.

The architect, Graziana Calabrese, wanted the client to feel like the protagonist. She created a sense of exclusivity through the design and realization of elements created exclusively for him. Unique pieces that are not on the market.

To customize the villa spaces, the designer relied on the team of the Bronzetto Florentine artisan workshop, creating a series of furnishings and decorations that had a link with the land of Puglia, which recalled the grace and elegance of a land rich in traditions and suggestions. The entire project’s common thread is the recurring ambivalence and contrast between the simplicity of smoothed and clean lines and light colours with the flair and creativity of impactful sculptures, dark colours and elaborate craftmanship. For this project, Il Bronzetto team has again confronted itself with the world of art and its works, as they did in the past for artists; for the Marchesina, they created unusual artefacts, sculptures such as the chandeliers in brass embossed and burned for the niches of the salon.

The villa develops longitudinally. On one side is the living area, and on the other is the sleeping area. The bright entrance is in a central position, characterized by a brass niche that houses a large sculptural wooden trunk in stark contrast with the rest of the more rustic, solid, dark wood cabinet. From the entrance, you immediately pass to the large living room, white and bright, surrounded by large French windows overlooking the monumental olive trees. A multifunctional, comfortable space of a relaxation zone to ease or read in the warm light of the classic floor lamps of the Studio line by Bronzetto. The natural brass finish matches the soft natural colours of the upholstery, so as does the large floor lanterns in dark burnished brass with milk-coloured satin glass.

The kitchen features ribbing and columns with blunt and soft forms. It is only separated from the living room by a decorative wall arch that features two niches with light Bronze sculptures that represent sea foam; the total white of the kitchen is interrupted only by the taps and handles in dark burnished brass custom-designed by Bronzetto and a wonderful stone island, which, like the fireplace, is made with blocks of Trani stone left natural, specially selected in the quarry from the final parts of the “banks” or where the stone block detaches from the rock. True sculptures made by nature.

Many other details stand out in this almost blinding white and the soft and delicate colours of the living room, such as the dining chandelier, the result of the collaboration with the Bronzetto workshop in burnished brass, descending from the ceiling like the intertwined branches of the monumental olive trees with their precious fruits. Behind a fumè door is the sleeping area, a long corridor where everything disappears in the white lime surmounted by a barrel vault. Even the doors would be invisible if it was not for the handles which, custom-made by the artisans of the Bronzetto, stand out as real handcrafted works of art made in their dark burnished brass, recalling distinctive fruits and plants of the land of Puglia. The handles, made of cast brass, are five, a different one for each of the five suites: olive, pomegranate, lemon, fig, and carob become the real protagonists of this villa wing.

The rooms, 5 in total, four of which are of the same type, feature a large round niche and a large suite with a four-poster wrought iron bed. Each room has distinctive earth colours of the area, including ochre yellow, terracotta red, baby blue and olive green. On the same palette, also the colour of the sophisticated Jacaranda table lamp in blown glass and brass (from the name of its godmother, the designer Jacaranda Caracciolo Falk, who, like a modern patron, subsidized the construction of the new mould of the lamp once the original was lost, and the line of 16 new RAL colours in which it can be declined).

The large suite, on the other hand, is distinguished by a large oval-shaped false ceiling, an enveloping effect that allows one to avoid direct light, a large freestanding bathtub and on the walls large trunks of branches left outdoors for 18 months and painted black.

In their simplicity, the luxurious bathrooms are covered in stone with washbasins made of large blocks carved out of stone rough-hewn on the front. Also, in this case, the detail is given by the custom-made mirrors in burnished brass with sinuous shapes that recall olive branches,

Altogether, the spaces become real works of art, reflections of personal needs, desires and experiences. Customization is displayed in every detail, from the finishes of the furnishings to the accessories, from the choice of chromatic shades to the materials used. Custom-made furniture and chandeliers made with craftsmanship, become commissioned works of art to reflect the individual taste of the customer, carefully selected fabrics and textures: each element is carefully chosen to convey a unique and authentic story. The search for unique and tailor-made pieces becomes an exploratory journey, guided by the awareness that beauty lies in diversity. That is the thought of the architect Graziana Calabrese who led the design and construction work with Bronzetto, a modern artisan workshop able to satisfy even the most complex requests, putting in place the craftsmanship and professionalism of the team and the new technologies available in the world of design. The design idea is to pursue the amalgamation of innovation and tradition using locally sourced materials, worked by the skilled hands of local artisans, revisiting everything with a more contemporary language. The materials are emphasized in their intrinsic materiality by working them as little as possible. The lighting is carefully designed. Floor lamps, artistic chandeliers, and appliques create focal points and add a sense of drama. The accessories are carefully chosen to avoid visual overload, still keeping a clean and sophisticated look.

This project combines the comfort and functionality of contemporary design with the warm hospitality and simplicity of the Apulian tradition, creating spaces that are elegant, functional and deeply connected to their geographical and cultural context. An aesthetic reflecting luxury overall in a discreet and refined way. An approach that emphasizes quality and design without ostentation, creating luxurious spaces in a subtle way, with a feeling of discreet elegance and sophisticated intimacy.

Photo credits: Claudio Moccia

Bronzetto