Salini studied geology and gemology, but he believes
strongly that the preciousness of a piece is not necessarily in
the intrinsic value of the stones. Rather, it’s about striking a
balance between concept, craftsmanship and the beauty of
its elements. The resulting boundary-pushing designs often
involve the use of unconventional materials, from the humble
(straw, leather) to the haute (silk, mother-of-pearl) and the
hi-tech (carbon fibre, copper thread). At the Masterpiece
London Art Fair last year, for example, he showed carbon-
fibre pieces that employed diamonds as an accent rather than
as the main focus. “When you use carbon fibre, it projects
jewellery into this very contemporary, futuristic place. If you
don’t change the rules, if you don’t dare, you don’t bring
anything new into the world.”
It’s a sentiment that is reflected in his home, too. After
losing out on buying his dream house, he decided to build
his own on a parcel of land with mountain and sea views
overlooking Noto. “You experience the beauty of the place in
360 degrees, it’s magical,” he says. “The results are contemporary- I didn’t want it to be a new house imitating an old one – but
I tried to bring some Sicilian atmosphere into the place through
the colours, the materials and the connection with nature.”
Working with the same architect who designed his Roman
atelier, Salini has built a simple, gallery-like space arranged
around an ancient olive tree. All the windows either capitalise
on the breathtaking views or face newly planted olives and
agave on a series of terraces. In the centre of the sitting room
hangs a pair of tapestries by Allegra Hicks that were inspired
by the landscape beyond. “It’s a strong exchange between
inside and outside,” Salini adds. “The idea is that nature is
coming inside the house.”
The hand-cut, local-stone floor that flows from the terraces
into the house adds to the sense of indoor-outdoor living, as
does the palette of soothing, natural materials. “There’s leather,
wood, rough wool, stone and absolutely no plastic,” says
Salini. “Almost everything has been created by local artisans.
I wanted the natural elements to be the
protagonists of the house. It’s timeless
design.” The wooden beams that support
the ceilings are typical of the region,
vintage linens have been used to dress
the sofas, and rough-luxe tables have
been hewn from old, knotted wood.
As well as the commissioned pieces,
each room features a tasteful mix of
contemporary furniture and antiques,
many of which have come from “the
palazzos of old Sicilian families”. In the
master bedroom, for example, a simple
iron bed frame is flanked by ornate,
centuries-old side tables. It all makes
for a home that’s calm and coolly
insulated from the searing heat of a
Sicilian summer. But Salini uses the
house as more than just an August“I wanted
the natural
elements
to be the
protagonists
of the house.
It’s timeless
design”Below, from top: local building materials
impart a Sicilian atmosphere; citrus trees
thriving in the Mediterranean sunAn Allegra Hicks
tapestry, one of a
pair, hangs in a
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