Nina
Nina is a carefully conceived celebration of space, materials, colour and texture, with guests’ needs and wants at the heart of its beautiful design
If ever a property could quietly attempt to please all the people all the time, this stunning renovation and restoration of an old town house at the bottom of Puglia is it. Set in the middle of Muro Leccese, an authentic Salentine town not far from the soft sand beaches of the Adriatic, Nina is a delightful property for eight.
Guests leave the sun-baked street via a wooden door and step into the delicious cool of the entrance hall with its stone floor and star-vaulted ceiling. A ground-floor courtyard garden bathes the downstairs living room in soft light through the wall of floor-to-ceiling glass, while a small pool sits on top of the new kitchen extension.
Natural materials such as stone, wood and linen give texture and soul to the property and the decoration is a clever mix of soft earthy colours, original art, and pieces that gently root guests to the location – such as terracotta olive oil jugs and salvaged double wooden doors. Architectural features such as niches are both practical and decorative and two of the four shower rooms are round like trullos.
There are three spacious doubles and one twin – all with soaring star-vaulted ceilings and en-suite shower rooms. Then there are the outside spaces: a ground-floor courtyard, a first-floor plunge pool and sun terrace and, finally, a rooftop terrace with built-in sofas, a small kitchen, a large stone dining table and beautiful views over the town’s ancient rooftops.
Head out the door and you will find bars, restaurants and shops all within strolling distance. Or, hop in the car and head for Italy’s most easterly point – Otranto – and then discover the delightful beaches and towns that dot this magical part of Puglia.
