UNDER THE SUN

An Italian gem decorated in laid-back style

Enrica Stabile’s summer home in northern Italy couldn’t be in a more beautiful location. Just across the border from France, and not far from the coast, the pre! y village of Pantasina is tucked into the Ligurian hillside, surrounded by ancient olive groves. During the blisteringly hot summers, the proximity to the famous

Gulf of La Spezia (or Gulf of Poets) is a gi " – it’s no surprise that this turquoise bay was once popular with the Romantic poet Lord Byron, as well as Italian scholars Petrarch and Montale. It’s also where the poet Shelley tragically drowned in a shipwreck following a storm in 1822.

Literary connections aside, Enrica was drawn to the area because of the stunning landscape, and she had long

wanted to build a dream home of her own nearby.

‘ The view is terri !c: a sea of olive trees with the coast in the distance,’ she smiles. The project holds a special signi !cance for Enrica as it was the last that she shared with her husband, who died a few years ago. They managed the entire build together, without the help of architects, and aimed to create the house in a way that was sympathetic to the history and traditions of the area.

They painted the outside walls in a peachy pink to match other houses in the area, and sourced local materials from nearby cra "smen to build the roof and window frames. The project was long and arduous – not helped by the local carpenters insisting on frequent breaks during the regional hunting season. But, a "er just over a year, Enrica and her husband had created the summer home they had always longed for.

The house itself is of modest proportions and is divided into two apartments with separate entrances. The ground #oor apartment has direct access to the sprawling gardens, while the top #oor has its own terrace overlooking the sea, and this is Enrica’s preferred spot. ‘ My favourite memories in the property are of eating outside

The design of Enrica’s Ligurian holiday home is sympathetic to the surrounding countryside and houses. The walls are painted a traditional shade and the roof slates and window frames were all sourced from local craftspeople.

TOP RIGHT Enrica’s kitchencum-living space in the upper apartment is filled with antiques she has lovingly collected over the years, including French folding chairs, an inherited Bohemian blue crystal chandelier and reclaimed floor tiles from France. Curtains made from vintage tea towels conceal the under-counter shelves.

ABOVE The patterned blue tiles in Enrica’s kitchen were a lucky find at a flea market in the south of France. TOP RIGHT The French plates on the walls are also antique, while the doors are reclaimed. LEFT The majority of things in Enrica’s summer home were sourced from flea markets in France, or via her interior design business. This antique Herend coffee set, however, was inherited from her grandmother. It takes pride of place in the white glazed cabinet in her living room.

Enrica’s living room is calm and considered, layered with rustic antiques and fabrics in soothing hues that make the space feel light and airy. ‘I chose shades of white, grey and blue very carefully because I wanted cool colours for a Mediterranean house,’ she says.