‘In a world where almost everything is black and white, I wanted a colourful house,’ announces Fabrizio Olivero, whose bright idea it was to transform this home in the small Italian village of Sanfrè. Located on the edge of the Roero region, with its rolling hills, idyllic vineyards and Unesco World Heritage status, Sanfrè was an unlikely setting for a project like this one, but Fabrizio is not someone who is comfortable with convention.
To help him realise his mission, he turned to Gianluca Bocchetta, interior designer and founder of Velvet Studio. ‘I was immediately fascinated by the challenge of transforming a village house into a bold and creative manifesto of modernity,’ says Gianluca, who recalls being told to bring a ‘breath of city air’ to this rural location.
Walk through the front door and you are met by a dark-blue corridor with a green ceiling. This explosion of potent hues continues in the adjoining bedroom and bathroom, as well as the main living area, situated beneath the high ceilings of a former barn. Here, the bespoke kitchen cabinetry sings in shades of grass green, Klein blue and Bordeaux red.
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A small staircase, hidden behind one of this home’s bookcases, leads to a secret treasure: a garage full of 80s cars. It’s a decade that Fabrizio has a true passion for. Indeed, as Gianluca explains, ‘the whole project is a celebration of 80s design and, in particular, of the Memphis movement. A place where the furniture pieces are inhabitants in their own right, living in harmony with Fabrizio.’ velvet-lab.com
