Casa Salento

The house is approximately 250 square meters set across two floors and with some ceilings reaching up to five meters in height. After entering the house, you access a courtyard with a staircase that takes you up to the first floor. In the courtyard, there is an outdoor table and chairs where you can enjoy breakfast or dinner as there is no direct sunlight. 

Across the courtyard is the living room (which was once the dining room) and this is bathed in lots of light. During the restorations, we poured a terrazzo-style floor here and redid the sewage system to take it out to the street. We tried to keep most of the original floors, as they give a lot of identity to the house. For the walls of this room (and the rest of the house) we used a wonderful Belgian brand of plasters called Domingue Finishes.

Also on the ground floor is the formal dining room (this used to be the living room). We’ve embraced its dark feel with a slightly darker plaster that gives it a church feeling and added an 18th-century dining table and chairs. It’s simple but impressive. 

Also on the ground floor, there is the kitchen, which is largely original and feels much like a 1950s nonna’s kitchen, complete with an old-school cooking range. In addition to removing the paint and treating the wood, we added a few modern appliances to make it suitable for the way we live today. 

There are comfortable sofas in both the Garden Room (which we painted green) and the Media Room, with the sofas here easily converting into two single beds to accommodate more guests. Behind the Media Room is a powder room with an outdoor shower. 

The existing garden already had a lot of charm due to its greenery but we did a lot of work on the walls and added a built-in bench plus a two-level terrace made from local stones. We also created a plunge pool and it makes a huge difference to be able to have a swim when it’s hot outside. 

On the first floor is the sleeping area, which consists of three double bedrooms, one single bedroom and three bathrooms. When you reach the top of the outdoor staircase (which is quite steep), it divides into two. To the right, there is the Green Room with a vaulted ceiling and a French table. This leads to one of the bedrooms, which has high ceilings and looks out over the street and the main church of the town. Adjacent is a brand-new bathroom with a shower, toilet and sink, plus a walk-in robe. 

To the left of the Green Room is the largest bedroom (which used to be a library) and this is furnished with pieces that were left by the previous owners. It has its own terrace overlooking the garden, with two chairs and a small table. There is also a spacious, ensuite bathroom (it was once a bedroom), with a Victorian bathtub and a vintage shower column.

If you go to the left at the top of the stairs you reach what I sometimes call the Funky Room. It is painted with a subtle yellow and furnished with a late XVIII/ early XIX century red wardrobe from Lombardy, red headboards and a long bench from France. Also on the first floor, there is another room with a charming single bed frame that was originally in the house and a vintage-style bathroom that fits in perfectly with the style of the house. 

All of the mattresses are very comfortable and with beautiful, cotton bedding and throughout the house there are rugs by an Australian company, Armadillo. They make the house feel cosy and allow you to walk barefoot. 

NOTE: the only access to the first floor is through an outdoor staircase. Please be aware that it is fairly steep :)

In addition to Wi-Fi and a TV, we include a cleaning every two days, final cleaning and the change of bedding and towels mid-week in the rates. The plunge pool is salt water and not heated (because the courtyard receives a lot of sunlight in the summer months). On request, we can arrange for a masseuse to come to the house and set up a spa in the Garden Room. In the future, we may also offer a private chef on request. 

The plunge pool is 3x2 metres and is not heated. Since it is located in an open courtyard, it receives a lot of sunlight to warm it.

NOTE: the only access to the first floor is through an outdoor staircase. Please be aware that it is fairly steep :)

AMENITIES

• Air conditioning (cooling and heating)
• Alarm system
• Wi-Fi
• Safe
• Fireplace
• Fully equipped kitchen (ILVE cooking range, fridge, freezer, dishwasher).
• Nespresso machine
• 3x2m Plunge pool (not heated) with sun lounge and outdoor shower
• Outdoor table seating 6 people
• Additional covered terrace with seating area
• Washing machine and dryer
• TV
• BOSE sound system
• Easy parking 100 meters away

Most people who visit Puglia usually hire a car and drive around. I would recommend exploring Galatina, Ostuni and the villages nearby. Lecce shouldn’t be missed and the Lido Castellana in Otranto is an old-school beach club that is very cool. I’d also recommend Bar Alimentari Tabacchi da Carlo in Porto Badisco — they serve great food next to a great beach.