LA DOLCE VITA
Living Etc Magazine|July 2021
Collette Dinnigan and Bradley Cocks have restored an ancient Italian farmhouse with stunning vintage pieces, natural fabrics and the colours of the olive grove in which it sits
Fiona McCarthy
LA DOLCE VITA

SWIMMING POOL

The pool is a very dark – ‘almost a black marine blue,’ says Collette. ‘Much of our time is spent by the pool, playing backgammon or just relaxing in the shade.’

Bamboo loungers, try Idyll Home. Limestone paving, try Caesarstone. Wildflowers, try seeds from Landlife Wildflowers

TERRACE

Collette has created lots of niches around the house, like this terrace, to act like extra ‘rooms’ for reading, relaxing and chatting.

Bamboo armchairs, try Idyll Home. Bamboo coffee table, try Maison du Monde. Swan-neck outdoor wall light, try The Wall Lighting Company

Putting down roots in Italy had never been Australian designer Collette Dinnigan and her family’s plan. After winding down her successful fashion business seven years ago, Collette and husband Bradley decided they’d take a year’s sabbatical with children Estella and Hunter, based out of Rome.

While touring around southern Italy that summer, they fell in love with Puglia. ‘We loved the area’s wildness and found the old masserias enchanting.’ While staying around Ostuni, famous for its whitewashed city perched above the Adriatic Sea, they happened across a 500-year-old farmhouse and Collette, a dab hand at renovating houses, pounced. (Her previous home, in Australia, was in Livingetc in May 2019)

This story is from the July 2021 edition of Living Etc Magazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the July 2021 edition of Living Etc Magazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM LIVING ETC MAGAZINEView All
SEE YOU IN COPENHAGEN
Living Etc UK

SEE YOU IN COPENHAGEN

The Danish capital feels like the epicentre of the art and design world

time-read
1 min  |
September 2023
robot vacuums
Living Etc UK

robot vacuums

THIS PIECE OF TECH HAS COME A LONG WAY SINCE CLUNKY EARLY MODELS- PACKED WITH SMART FEATURES FOR AN FASY LIFF

time-read
2 mins  |
September 2023
transforming furniture
Living Etc UK

transforming furniture

A DESK THAT TURNS INTO A BED? A CUPBOARD THAT OPENS INTO A TABLE? THIS IS HOW CANNY PIECES CAN PERFECT SMALL-SPACE LIVING

time-read
3 mins  |
September 2023
secret ingredient: outdoor projectors
Living Etc UK

secret ingredient: outdoor projectors

TAKE MOVIE NIGHTS UP A NOTCH BY MOVING THEM OUTSIDE - POPCORN OPTIONAL

time-read
3 mins  |
September 2023
CONSIDERING GOING CUSTOM-MADE BUT DON'T KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN? THIS IS THE PLACE TO START
Living Etc UK

CONSIDERING GOING CUSTOM-MADE BUT DON'T KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN? THIS IS THE PLACE TO START

There is something so satisfying about a bespoke piece of furniture that fits perfectly. Tailored to the way you interact with your home, a bespoke piece can also solve the problem of a room with an unusual layout. But in the big wide world of custom furniture, where on earth do you start? We spoke to the experts to find out.

time-read
2 mins  |
September 2023
OUT OF TOWNERS
Living Etc UK

OUT OF TOWNERS

A love affair with London prompted Americans Julia and David to snap up an aunt's mews house when she decided to sell

time-read
2 mins  |
September 2023
A LIGHT TOUCH
Living Etc UK

A LIGHT TOUCH

Cleverly reimagined to let the sun in, this busy family home has also been designed to allow for plenty of peace and calm

time-read
2 mins  |
September 2023
NATURAL HISTORY
Living Etc UK

NATURAL HISTORY

Once two humble farm buildings, this French villa has evolved into a spectacular home that is no standard rustic retreat

time-read
2 mins  |
September 2023
TRAVEL THROUGH TIME
Living Etc UK

TRAVEL THROUGH TIME

The design of this Milanese apartment celebrates its features from the past while adding in modern pieces - it's a classic look that's future-proof

time-read
2 mins  |
September 2023
PERFECTLY COMPOSED
Living Etc UK

PERFECTLY COMPOSED

This apartment is like a beautiful symphony balancing style notes that include the modern, the classic, the elegant and the laid-back

time-read
2 mins  |
September 2023