The dialogue between the historical memory of the territory and the modern needs for expansion and renewal are the heart of the projects signed by the Apulian architect Dario Flore, author of Casa Natalie, a country house in the Ostuni area.
The aim of Casa Natalie project was to completely redefine the building in order to create a better distribution of the rooms, and to enhance the outdoor spaces with the addition of a garden and a swimming pool, proposing different environments and combinations of finishes.
It was decided that the two-storey house should be renovated in an elegant, refined style, with a timeless classic and romantic touch: the challenge was finding the best way to integrate the bold furnishings and finishes with the environments characterized by essential architectural elements, typical of the area, set against a silvery green background of majestic olive trees, which create an enchanting atmosphere of peace and tranquillity.
In the living area there is an evident homage to local tradition: the typical pavement made of ancient limestone slabs creates a sense of continuity between the old and new spaces of the trullo, as does the white lime-based plaster that covers the walls in all the rooms, including the barrel vaults.
The white walls create a strong contrast with the coloured furnishings and decorated materials, making them stand out, in particular the bright blue kitchen, which was made by local craftsmen; the bedrooms and bathrooms are the most decorated environments, with artisanal hand-painted ceramic tiles.
The master bathroom, characterised by the strong contrast between the opacity of the Carrara marble and the glossy ceramic tiles, is embellished with Fir Italia Canterbury 30 taps and mixers, chosen with the elegant and refined English Deluxe Gold finishing to reinterpret the values of Old England aesthetics: in particular, the Anglo-Saxon style is revived in this two-handle tap and mixer collection with simple, stylised lines.
It is precisely the Deluxe Gold finishing three-hole wash basin and bidet mixer, shower bar, towel heating rail and coordinated bathroom accessories that connect the three bathrooms in the house: the master bathroom, the second bathroom, and the guest bathroom, located in different areas of the house.
In the second bathroom, the marble gives way to a classic black and white checkerboard and the polished white marmorino plaster wall finish frames all the different details with a retro touch; the black enamelled cast iron bathtub completes this entirely “black and white” bathroom with gold accessories, embellished with antiques and elegant velvet chairs.
The guest bathroom is of particular note: like a jewel set in stone, it is completely covered with Vietri majolica tiles by Francesco De Maio, thereby creating a colourful environment with a strong visual impact; Fir Italia Canterbury 30 tap and mixer collection was also chosen for this bathroom, again in the Deluxe Gold finishing.
The kitchen sinks are also embellished with FIR Italia taps and fittings in the Melrose collection, finished in English Deluxe Gold, chosen in the two-lever version with white ceramic inserts: the combination of the gold of the taps, the turquoise of the kitchen and the white of the walls creates a bright and extremely “fresh” environment.
The renovation project of Casa Natalie has re-established a functional relationship between the interior spaces and has defined a relationship of continuity with the exterior spaces: the challenge was to resolve the integration of furnishings and finishes with the environments characterized by the presence of essential architectural elements, typical of the place.
The house is therefore on two levels, where the references to the Apulian culture are easily readable in the local materials and construction techniques adopted, while in the basement a suggestive calcareous rock wall was used to fascinate the user.
Finally, large windows overlook the veranda, which is in direct relationship with the swimming pool, and the silvery green background of the majestic olive trees envelops Casa Natalie in an atmosphere of peace and relaxation.
