Puglian Villa

WORDS AND PRODUCTION Marc Heldens PHOTOS Verne Photography


In Italy’s southern Puglia region, the Salento is where the Salentine Peninsula forms the heel of the Italian boot. It’s here that artist and architect Kico Mion and his wife Stefania Gastaldo have built their summer home.

In Italy‘s far south, the residents talk in the local dialect about lu sule, lu mare, lu ientu – sun, sea and wind; the three powerful natural forces that have shaped the landscape and the local population over centuries. With its red- coloured soil, green olive groves and cactus fields, the landscape often resembles parts of northern Africa or Mexico – but its small villages, country roads with walls of stacked boulders, and vast fields with robust masserie (fortified farms), trulli (workers’ cottages) and casali (farmhouses) show that this is clearly Puglia.

Hints of the centuries-old architectural history are everywhere in a region that southern Italians describe as the “end of the world”, and near the small village of Serranova, nestled in a nature reserve, is Villa Kico. Built as a summer home by the owners – artist and designer Kico Mion and his wife Stefania Gastaldo – it was designed to respect the local environment and architecture, and reflect the characteristics of Kico’s paintings.

During the winter months, the couple live in Veneto, near Venice, where they own a house and work from their painting/ design studio. But for the past 15 years, during the summer months of July, August and September, they have also spent time living and working in Italy’s southern region. They’ve bought and renovated several houses in Puglia, returning to the area again and again in search of a challenge, and creating sanctuaries not just for themselves but for international clients too.

Kico’s aesthetic is about broad lines, spaciousness and the optimal use of natural light, all of which is reflected in the layout of Villa Kico. Stefania’s talents lie in adding character and ambience with vintage furniture, artworks and carefully curated objects, often sourced from second-hand markets in Puglia and Veneto, as well as at auctions and on international websites (in the case of specialised vintage items). The result is an understated yet artistic voluminous structure that’s somewhere between a loft and a villa.

A joint creative effort between Stefania and Kico, the main bedroom features a remarkable, tubular concrete “bay” window to highlight what can be seen of the landscape. A 1960s Amanta coffee table by Mario Bellini and an antique metal stool add vintage character.
A joint creative effort between Stefania and Kico, the main bedroom features a remarkable, tubular concrete “bay” window to highlight what can be seen of the landscape. A 1960s Amanta coffee table by Mario Bellini and an antique metal stool add vintage character.

With its sturdy geometric shape, textured facade and minimalist lines, Villa Kico echoes the work of legendary Mexican architect Luis Barragán, embracing Modernism but also deeply rooted in Mexican tradition. The interior colour palette is clearly inspired by the red-brown hue of the soil in the surrounding olive orchards. Looking through the villa from its wooden front door, you catch a glimpse of the azure-blue swimming pool in the distance – a contrast to a moody living space that requires time for your eyes to grow accustomed to it as they transition from light towards dark. Gradually, the space opens up, revealing the personality of its inhabitants in the furniture, artworks and objects.

The living areas are furnished with large tables and sofas, and adorned with Kico’s paintings. These were chosen in close consultation with Stefania, who is passionate about detail and refinement. She often accents rooms with console tables, which then serve as display spaces for decorative items.

Kico describes the house as a kind of cave. Fittingly, the yellow graphic work above the lounge sofa is an interpretation of a prehistoric drawing of a bison. “The cave belongs to us humans as an archetype, because we need its protection, its shelter,” says Kico. “It takes me back to when I was 14 years old and I first saw the work of artist Robert Rauschenberg at the Venice Biennale. From that moment, I planned to create a space for myself – a loft that was large enough to show my own artworks. In those dreams, I already combined paintings and sculptures with architecture.”


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