online renovation

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When I did not post often in the last two weeks, then it is because I am busy doing online renovation and interior drawings.

Amazing what the internet makes possible.

Not only communication via email and skype makes a renovation across countries easier. Very essential, you can find all manufacturers online and download their catalogues to choose material and products and check right away technical data. Of course you need to have someone on site who understands what you want. In my case it is CC, my husband.

I left Pizzo about two weeks ago to come back to Germany where our son goes to school.
CC, however, kept staying in Pizzo along with his parents to push forward our project.

He goes every morning with Angelo to the house and meet workers and crafters. Angelo and CC themselves even lay hands on. And they would drive throughout the region to find the right kitchen, to get sample marble stones, to check out tiles and mosaics, to buy paint and other construcion material.

During lunch break CC would send me photos of the progress, photos of tiles he has seen and links to catalogues that I would have to browse online. In the evening we would skype. And late at night I would send my replies that CC would consider in the morning. We have sometimes up to ten mails going back and forward on different issues: bathroom sanitary installations, flooring, door types etc.

CC is the analytic manager who likes fast decisions. And I am the chaotic creative who wants to check out all options to make sure we do it really right. I am driving him crazy by sending him more and more options. And he keeps me up until long after midnight to answer all his requests.

But more and more decisions are made, and they come faster.
One thing helps: that we agree on each other taste and ideas quite often.

To get you into the picture - here are some of the files I have mailed him last night:

I am proud to have found these tiles. Actually there was only one in the picture and I made the "carpet" of tiles with my photo editor. This was probably the only time, when I was sure from the beginning: this is our tile for the master bathroom floor. (Greca by de Maio)

And that evening I was not chaotic at all, just straigth creative. I have added another tile that we will use for some wall areas in the bathroom. (Vecchia Napoli and Graca by de Maio)
And CC liked it right away!

here is some drawing on mm-paper

we will add a installation wall for the sinks (here second type of Vietri tiles) and my calculation for the volume we will have to order.

to make it easier for CC, I also captured the technical data from the Duravit catalogue. The 585 hight is necessary to know when building the installation wall.

I am having fun. But it is also exhausting to work that late at night for me. And I am online all these hours and have no time to post... this is must stop. I will have to catch up and update this blog.

Great white kitchen by Paola Navone

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An all white kitchen including white walls does not have to look boring !
This is the kitchen of Italian architect and designer Paola Navone in her house in Greece.

I am impressed by this simple, yet functional and beautiful kitchen. The first thing I recognised is the precise measure work they must have done with the window and the below water tap. I am wondering how they can open and close the window. We have about the same window situation and needed to place the sink into the corner. 

It would be our layout situation - if it would be that way with a sloping roof :


But we have changed our plans to a single line kitchenette.
So far it is all white - the colour of the fridge is not decided yet.

I found this kitchen via the Italian blog design & more. If you want to see more pictures of Paola Navone's retreat in Greece go to the style-files.

Sicilian traditional tiles as main design theme for new contemporary resort: Verdura Golf & Spa Resort

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Southern Italy, especially Capri and Sicily, is famous for its beautiful ornamented tiles with bright mediterranean colours. Handpainted maioliche have their origin in Mallorca (Spain) and have inspired Italian crafters from Vietri near Naples to Caltagirone in Sicily.


It is kind of obvious to use mediterranean tiles (piastrelle) when renovating or remodelling a house in the South of Italy. Even when building a contemporary house or hotel, one should consider to catch the atmosphere of the location by using local traditional material and patterns in some way.

In a rough Southeastern Sicilian landscape the new Verdura Golf & Spa resort combines contemporary architecture and design with local Sicilian culture and tradition. Interior designer Olga Polizzi found a simple way to retain old customs by interpretating patterns of Sicilian maioliche (tiles) in a modern way throughout the resort :

patterns of piastrelle are remixed in the casual dining area (above and below):


The giant tiles are handmade by a workshop in Caltagirone.
They pick up a local motif of the 18th century that became the decorative theme of the entire resort.

In the lobby, cushion covers and lamp shades pick up parts of the tile's pattern.
Even the webside of the resort is using the theme on its pictures (see above pic left side) like a watermarking.

In the rooms the theme is on bed covers, cushions and lampshades.

On some walls the design of the tiles is stenciled. However, with very restraint colours, like a watermark, to not be too much for the visitors eyes.

I think it is a very clever idea. I might 'copy' this method for some wall decoration in our house. I could re-use some pattern of the few old tiles we inherited with the house. Although they have more a Greek influenced geometrical design than a floral elaboration. Or I am just painting the above red giant extract of a maiolica with acrylic coulour on a wooden board for one of the rooms.
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Source: all photos via Verdura Golf & Spa Resort, Sciacca, Sicily
owned by Rocco Forte Collection
featured in AD Edizione Italia, March 2010

Project by Flavio Albanese
Interior Design by Olga Polizzi

fridges by smeg

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Who does not know the retro fridges anni 50 style by smeg ?
I see them regulary in magazines, but did not realize that they are not from fleamarkets but actually still in production.

the most fun one for Italy fans


colour panna, 96 cm h x 55 cm l, small fridge including freezer


colour azzurro, 151cm h x 60 cm l, one door fridge with freezer


colour: acqua verde, 168 cm h x 60 cm l, two doors


this is the model we have in mind, colour: blu
however, we need to think about the size and measure again

and then:
We need to think if we really want a blue kitchen with a blue fridge. These two blues will not be exactly the same. So, do we take a blue kitchen with an metallic fridge or with a light green or blue fridge that make a little contrast - or do we order a white kitchen with a blue fridge for contrast ? (The floor will be white wooden panels.)


Blue and blue ? (blu bahama by LUBE and blu by smeg) ?!
Any suggestions ??!? please ?!