Work Progress in Pizzo

The street pavement in the heart of Pizzo's historic center - that had initiated some three years ago (Rome also wasn't built in a day) - seems finally to come to an end with some last alleys getting paved (photo below: Via Roma).

The garage with the two "No Parking" signs is ours and can be used by our guest on request and availability.  

The garage with the two "No Parking" signs is ours and can be used by our guest on request and availability.  

Monday evening break.  Via Roma, Pizzo.

Monday evening break.  Via Roma, Pizzo.

Although things take time in the South, Monday was a busy day in Pizzo. We can also report about some other progress of our project, just a few steps away:

Alindar from Maida delivers the kitchens

Alindar from Maida delivers the kitchens

Kitchen planning started in August last year, and went smooth. But the more time we had, the more changes I made ... and now our custom made kitchens are delivered! 

Delivery through the garage makes the studio comes first. 

Delivery through the garage makes the studio comes first. 

We always favored local products. And I am glad and proud to support Calabrian businesses. If you need a new kitchen, we definitely can recommend Alindar from Maidar. Great customer service, very good quality, fair prices. If you buy an IKEA kitchen, you pay probably the same and have to mount it by yourself. Check out Alindar, they even have customers in Switzerland.  

Kitchen in the studio's entrance area. 

Kitchen in the studio's entrance area. 

I am glad, I changed from a red kitchen to a white kitchen at the last minute. I really prefer to have this modern red and white interpretation of a classic Vietri floor tile pattern instead of a bold red kitchen. The area is too small for a red kitchen - like we have it at the residence.

BTW, we never agreed on white wall tiles here (photo above). We said we will use waterproofed paint and decide on the colour later. But in the meantime I am used to Angelo who goes ahead when he has his own ideas. Sometimes, the result is not too bad actually. And after three projects of 'long-distance' renovations, I am way more cool and relaxed than in the beginning. - And what is that stripe on the wall below the ceiling in the other kitchen (photo below)?? - Angelo assured me, if I do not like it, we can take it down, or overpaint it. It's a decorative paper border. I guess, since he is not 'allowed' to paint the walls other than white (see his previous colourful folly), his creativity needs to burst somewhere ...

Our special customised kitchen for the Dependance! - LIKE it ! 

Our special customised kitchen for the Dependance! - LIKE it ! 

So far it looks all good. Grazie Angelo, for the photos. I hope the hoot is not misused as hairdryer by the cook...  

For the kitchen counter top we need to look for a matching natural stone as the layout is a bit unique. What seems like a built in oven in the corner is the vaulted ceiling of the stairways below. We built the kitchen around it to optimise the space in that room. When you turn around and look through the windows, you have sea view! Absolutely stunning sea view, and castello view!

What can't be seen in the photo (above) properly yet - details will be published later - is the beautiful ceramic artwork by Antonio Montesanti. He made for us a band of Pizzo's history. The history and stories of Pizzo in ceramic tiles (photo below), which are now stretching along the kitchen counter.

History of Pizzo told in ceramic tiles by Antonio Montesanti ... Here in the making, now in our kitchen! 

History of Pizzo told in ceramic tiles by Antonio Montesanti ... Here in the making, now in our kitchen! 

Of course the very popular retro fridge by Smeg is not going to be missed! One light blue fridge - as our guest already know from the residence - is ordered for the larger kitchen at the Dependance. And a red version is ordered for the Studio downstairs. 

 
Retro fridges by Smeg - L means hinges are left, and R means Hinges are Right ... important details!

Retro fridges by Smeg - L means hinges are left, and R means Hinges are Right ... important details!

 

What I have not yet posted, but received from Angelo, are report photos of the bathrooms. All bathrooms are tiled and mainly done. However, the photos don't do justice yet. Again, we bought local. All products, sanitary equipment and tiles, were ordered and delivered via the local company Callipo in Vibo Valentia. We used them also for our previous project and are very satisfied. Mirrors, shower boxes, hooks, shelves and other accessories and details are next! That's why we are going to be on site soon! - So far, mille grazie Angelo

Update: Photos from our project

The new year has just started and it's already February! While Angelo works on our project in Pizzo - the wooden and tile flooring now is all done - I am sitting at my desk in Bangkok searching online for some decent outdoor furniture. Calabria has not yet been discovered by IKEA & co and so it is not easy to find cool stuff. Beside having done some shopping in Northern Italy lately, ordering online seems a good solution to save time, but not being able to see and touch what you get and shipping cost to the most distant region of the Italian mainland are the downside. And while we are working on getting the apartments furnished before early summer, I get already many booking enquiries. I am really delighted to see that we get credits for our 5 star rated hospitality. But of course, our potential guests want to see photos! - Photos? But it's not furnished! - However, Angelo sends us on our what's app group (yes, that's how we manage another long distance project) almost daily updates. Although these are not for advertisement, I am posting them today as an update from the project side. And I promise the furnishing will be as nice as in our residence: a mix of old and new decorated with local art. Expect nice shots mid April. For now, please accept that we are at this state:

Dependance: entrance area from the street with view into second bedroom

Dependance: entrance area from the street with view into second bedroom

Dependance: The second bedroom with small balcony facing the sea and restored stone wall 

Dependance: The second bedroom with small balcony facing the sea and restored stone wall 

Dependance: living room with passage to the kitchen and restored original stone wall

Dependance: living room with passage to the kitchen and restored original stone wall

Dependance: living room and restored original stone wall - I am curious myself how the staircase leading to the attic will look like ...

Dependance: living room and restored original stone wall - I am curious myself how the staircase leading to the attic will look like ...

Dependance: restored wooden ceiling

Dependance: restored wooden ceiling

Dependance: roof terrace detail (wrought iron railing still coming)

Dependance: roof terrace detail (wrought iron railing still coming)

Dependance: roof terrace stone bench (wrought iron railing still coming)

Dependance: roof terrace stone bench (wrought iron railing still coming)

Dependance: kitchen not yet delivered but floor tiles look great!

Dependance: kitchen not yet delivered but floor tiles look great!

Dependance: open window in the kitchen with a view

Dependance: open window in the kitchen with a view

Dependance: kitchen will be on the left, passage to living room, kitchen balcony

Dependance: kitchen will be on the left, passage to living room, kitchen balcony

Dependance: master bedroom with original stone wall and small balcony 

Dependance: master bedroom with original stone wall and small balcony 

The house: Studio Bellavista entrance below left, Dependance entrance upstairs 

The house: Studio Bellavista entrance below left, Dependance entrance upstairs

 

Studio: entrance and kitchen area

Studio: entrance and kitchen area

Studio Bellavista: The bedroom with a small balcony facing the sea

Studio Bellavista: The bedroom with a small balcony facing the sea

Studio Bellavista: living room with 2 windows facing the sea

Studio Bellavista: living room with 2 windows facing the sea

Studio: balcony of bedroom facing the sea 

Studio: balcony of bedroom facing the sea 

All photos by Angelo, shot with his phone and sent via what's app group. Please expect big progress in April and more photos on the way.