Conversation with Nadiya Yamnych of Trullo Nostrano

Trullo Nostrano in Italy’s breathtaking Valle D’Itria was restored and redesigned by two artists, Puglia native Walter Trento and Ukrainian import Nadiya Yamnych — embracing the imperfections of the original conical and cave-like structures, while adding an abundance of creative touches.

We reached out to Nadiya to find out more about this whimsical property.

YOUR HOME IS SO ARTISTIC. WHAT ARE YOUR BACKGROUNDS?

Nadiya Yamnych: “We both come from a contemporary art background. Walter worked in visual and performance art, and me in painting and sculpture. Today, we define ourselves as a multidisciplinary artists.

"Our love for raw materials and antique techniques led us to architectural design, and in 2016 we founded our studio NÙEVÙ, which became a perfect space to contain all our passions, where we give a new shape and concept to the beautiful past. Before we met, we used to travel a lot. Once we decided to base ourselves in Puglia, the hospitality business became the way for us to meet the world at home.”

HOW WERE YOU ABLE TO MAKE MODERN RENOVATIONS WHILE PRESERVING THE ORIGINAL CHARM?

NY: “That original charm… we call it anima, anemos (wind, breath). To preserve it, we should always act with respect. A trulli house is not only a beautiful cone-shaped dry-stone building, but it is a landscape. We always try to keep that antique feeling of harmony, equilibrium between many elements. And little things are so important as well…”

THE HOUSE IS ALMOST LIKE AN INSTALLATION, OR A MOVIE SET…

NY: “Yes, it has something about the movie set, as the way the house was designed, every space gives a different feeling, and many corners could be a scenery for a new and completely different emotion.”

HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE DESIGN?

NY: “We followed the character of the original house and the light. Then we shaped it to a new form that could host the new life. And we learned simplicity from the nature of Puglia. What do we really need? Love for the beauty of simplicity… Every year when we whitewash our house, we think about this incredible ritual. How many times that same archaic gesture, the brush with lime that gives light… How many smiles and songs were here before us… We believe that the aesthetic of our house is in the overlap of layers.”

HOW DID YOU CHOSE THE COLORS?

NY: “The main color is white, which is actually light, and the accent is verde acqua or teal, that was the color of the original lamia’s old door. Unfortunately, it couldn’t be used as it was almost destroyed, but it gave life to many new elements with its color!”

THERE ARE SO MANY BEAUTIFUL OBJECTS AND DETAILS IN THE SPACE. WHERE DID YOU FIND THEM?

NY: “All of them are the layers of significant and beautifully insignificant moments of our experience, that come from family memories, travels, curiosity and the changing seasons!”

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE PROPERTY?

NY: “We really love our kitchen. That is a place where everything happens and where so many projects were born. The kitchen is the heart of our house. We also love the backyard (aia, or farmyard) with its water holder (which is what we call our swimming pool!). It has a symbolic value as a perfect background for magical everyday scenarios.”

WHAT DO YOU HOPE GUESTS TAKE AWAY FROM A STAY AT TRULLO NOSTRANO?

NY: “We love this poem by Peter Handke: ‘When the child was a child, it didn’t know that it was a child, everything was soulful, and all souls were one.’ We hope our guests discover a bit of magic here, bring it home, and share the never-ending layers of dreams.”

To discover the magic of Trullo Nostrano, click here.

Photographs by Annette Nordstrøm.