Mediterranean Living celebrates the warmth, light, and timeless elegance of homes along the Mediterranean coast. From sun-drenched interiors to landscapes that merge indoors and out, each residence in this series embodies a harmony of natural materials, fluid spaces, and effortless connection to its surroundings—capturing the essence of Mediterranean life.
Across two distinct landscapes of the Mediterranean, Villa Normanni by Urban Interior in Puglia and Casa Montis by Auñón Cabrera on Spain’s Costa Blanca approach Mediterranean living not as a fixed aesthetic, but as a way of inhabiting space. In Puglia, Villa Normanni extends domestic life into the olive grove through verandas, pergolas, courtyards and sun-washed terraces, drawing on the region’s vernacular forms and materials. In Benissa Costa, Casa Montis instead begins from what already exists: its original terracotta floor becomes the material and chromatic foundation for a warm, tactile interior shaped by natural wood, linen, plant fibres and filtered light. Together, the two residences reveal Mediterranean living as an architecture of light, materiality, continuity and a porous relationship between interior and landscape.
Urban Interior Studio Presents Villa Normanni, a Contemporary Mediterranean Retreat in Puglia
Villa Normanni by Urban Interior Studio is conceived as a dialogue between two villas positioned opposite one another and linked by a sun terrace with a swimming pool.
Set within a 1.7-hectare olive grove in Puglia, Southern Italy, the complex interprets the region’s architectural traditions through a contemporary Mediterranean language, allowing the buildings to sit naturally within their rural landscape.
The principal villa is newly built, while its smaller counterpart adapts an existing agricultural structure.
Both are organized around an intimate relationship with the outdoors, extending the living spaces through pergolas, verandas, an outdoor kitchen, fireplace terrace, pool deck and covered parking.
Large folding windows orient the interiors towards the pool and olive grove, dissolving the boundary between inside and outside.
The architecture draws directly on the local vernacular.
White-plastered, single-storey volumes are complemented by softened edges, traditional pillars and chimney forms, an external staircase leading to a walkable roof, local tufo stone walls, reed shading and floors of pietra Leccese.
Green-grey window frames reinforce the connection to the surrounding vegetation. The smaller villa is deliberately given the character of an older rural building, with a distinct architectural and interior treatment; two ceramic Pina figures crown its roof as traditional symbols of good fortune.
Inside, a restrained palette of wood, linen, rattan and stone creates minimalist yet tactile and welcoming spaces. The main villa accommodates three ensuite bedrooms around a central living, dining and kitchen area, while the smaller building functions as an independent apartment with living room, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom.
Designed for year-round use, the villas incorporate heating and air conditioning, solar panels, rainwater collection and a well for water supply, alongside electric-vehicle charging.
Sustainability and self-sufficiency are integral to the technical conception.
The landscape preserves approximately 140 olive trees alongside oak, pomegranate, pear, plum and fig trees. Around the pool, a “desert garden” introduces sculptural Opuntia ficus-indica set within white gravel, creating a striking, almost arid composition that contrasts with the reflective water and dense olive grove.
About Urban Interior Studio
Founded in 2014 by Markéta Killi, Urban Interior Studio focuses on residential architecture and interior design, from renovations and family houses to complete interior furnishing. The studio’s approach begins with a strong conceptual phase, balancing the individuality and needs of each client with the character, architecture and surroundings of a given place. Through an open, collaborative dialogue, these elements are developed into coherent interiors where concept, materiality and atmosphere work together.
Facts & Credits
Project title Villa Normanni
Typology Hospitality, Interiors
Location San Vito Dei Normanni, Puglia, Italy
Built-up area 206 m2
Usable floor area 124 m2 main villa, 41 m2 small villa
Plot size 17.000 m2
Completion year 2025
Architecture Urban Interior Studio | Markéta Killi
Construction Trulli Dream Costruzioni
Photography Cosimo Calabrese, Duotono Fotografia
Auñón Cabrera Renovates Casa Montis in Benissa Costa, Creating a Serene Mediterranean Retreat
On the Costa Blanca, interior design studio Auñón Cabrera has transformed a single-family home from its former Central European aesthetic into a warm, serene Mediterranean residence.
Guided by the studio’s philosophy of “materializing the intangible,” the renovation begins with a single defining condition: preserving the original natural terracotta flooring throughout the house.
Rather than treating it as a constraint, the existing floor becomes the foundation for the home’s new identity and material palette.
The warm tones of the terracotta are complemented by off-whites, natural oak, plant fibres and linen textiles, creating an atmosphere of softness, light and continuity that connects the interiors with their Mediterranean surroundings.
The intervention embraces simplicity, reducing visual noise and allowing materiality, proportion and natural light to become the principal elements of the design.
A restrained approach to finishes extends throughout the house. The main living areas maintain a calm and balanced palette, while selected ceramic surfaces in the bathrooms introduce subtle variations in texture, depth and tone. Carefully integrated lighting, together with natural light filtered through linen, further enhances the tactile quality of the spaces and their changing atmosphere throughout the day.
Custom-designed furniture forms an integral part of the architectural concept.
The kitchen, bathrooms, wardrobes, TV unit and dining table were all created specifically for the home, combining clean lines, natural wood and honest materials. The wardrobes are conceived as architectural volumes in oak and natural-fibre mesh, while the solid-oak dining table serves as a central gathering point. In the living room, the TV unit integrates storage into a refined architectural element rather than functioning as a standalone piece.
Attention to detail extends to bespoke elements such as a ceramic lamp designed for the main bathroom, echoing the material used on its walls. Through this cohesive dialogue between architecture, furniture, material and light, Auñón Cabrera gives the house a renewed Mediterranean identity while preserving the memory embedded in its original fabric.
ABOUT AUÑÓN CABRERA
Auñón Cabrera Studio brings together a specialized team offering a holistic approach to interior design. Founded by María José Auñón Cabrera after years of professional experience, the studio embodies the slow living ethos of the Mediterranean. Each design aims to infuse spaces with a unique and personal touch, prioritizing close collaboration with clients to achieve bespoke emotional interiors.
Facts & Credits
Project title Casa Montis
Typology Residential, Interiors
Location Costa Blanca, Alicante, Spain
Area 234 m2
Architecture Auñón Cabrera
Photography Jonathan Ristagno