Amazigh

An Art-Filled Olive Grove Getaway

Ninì Bonavoglia, the free-spirited sculptor, ceramicist, and art consultant behind the refurbishing of this design-forward home, named his property Amazigh after a Berber symbol meaning “free man”. The updated traditional space is filled freely with his own creations, including the eye-catching ceramic fireplace surround, wall art and sculptures, in complement to a selection of Italian designer furnishings by Gio Ponti, Mario Bellini, and Gino Sarfatti.

"I wanted to make it as a very personal project," he tells us, "mixing things I’ve collected during the years and my ceramic works, which are reflected in the fireplace, door handles, lighting, and sculptures scattered around the house." For more of our interview, visit our Stories section here.

The restoration project of a native son who returned home in search of a place to unplug and unwind, Amazigh is so named for the Berber symbol that means “free man” and also symbolizes the olive tree. The name perfectly encapsulates the property’s high-spirited remodel and its place amid a stand of glinting olive trees. And the house also reveals Ninì Bonavoglia’s passions for travel and design and his eye for subtle sophistication.

Large scale artworks fill vivid white walls and sculpted ceramics on display are well lit by the natural light pouring through new, loft-like banks of windows. Decorative lamps by Italian designers such as Gino Sarfatti, Joe Colombo, and Sergio Mazza add to the bright environment. Taking cues from the Berber regions of his travels—Tunisia and Morocco—the home incorporates architectural and decorative elements of both places, including matte, earth-toned walls, gently arching room volumes, and artisanal baskets and objets d’art. 

Most of the property, however, feels pure Puglia, a vivid, art-splashed, subtly sophisticated space of summery white walls, plush, textural furnishings, breezy rattan and bamboo accents, intimate vaulted room volumes and cheery outdoor terraces for alfresco dining, swimming, and unwinding, with outdoor lighting by Vico Magistretti.

AROUND

Located outside of Ostuni, this villa for rent in Italy is set in a sea olive trees at the end of a country road only minutes from the heart of the Valle d’Itria’s famed magical white village. It makes a sophisticated base for exploring the region, including the crystalline waters of the Adriatic sea and its rock-studded, coved beaches, the nature reserve of Torre Guaceto, and the lively historic port towns of Polignano a Mare and Monopoli. 

Puglia is famed for its dry stacked, conical trulli homes, former agricultural storehouses dotting the rural landscape that today are mostly fairtytale private getaways. Thousands of trulli are concentrated in and around Alberobello, a UNESCO-classified location that’s a quick trip away. Other picturesque villages of note nearby include Cisternino and Locorotondo. The nearest beach is about a half-hour’s drive away along the Adriatic Sea, while the Ionian Sea, filling the space between Italy’s boot heel and toe, is a bit further afield.

LOCATION

Ostuni, Puglia, Italy. Nearest airports: Brindisi, Bari

BEST TIME TO VISIT: April to October