A Study in Bold Contrast: The Return of Rich Romantics at 'Villa Rubino'

We sit down with the lead designer to discuss leaving safe neutrals behind, embracing the dramatic depth of burgundy, and how the right large-format foundation keeps bold spaces feeling impeccably balanced.

For years, contemporary residential design has been dominated by a sea of greys, stark whites, and muted oatmeals. 'Villa Rubino' boldly shatters that mold. This striking residence is a masterclass in modern chromatics, enveloping its inhabitants in rich, wine-drenched hues, deep ochres, and warm woods.

Yet, despite the intense colour palette, the home breathes. It feels expansive, airy, and undeniably modern. This equilibrium is achieved through a meticulous curation of textures and a rigorous approach to the home's foundational surfaces. We spoke with the project's lead interior designer, Clara Vance, about designing with bold contrasts and how our Rosa Levanto, Panna Fossil, and New Kaolin Artisan Handmade collections were essential in bringing this jewel-toned vision to life.

Q: The immediate impact of Villa Rubino is its fearless useof deep, rich colour. What inspired this departure from the typical minimalistpalette?

Designer: We wanted to create a home that felt deeply emotional and enveloping. Safe neutrals are beautiful, but my client wanted spaces that felt like a tailored velvet suit—rich, warm, and sophisticated. We anchored the home's colour story around a deep, sophisticated burgundy.

You see this intense colour brought to life through your Rosa Levanto. We used these incredible, deeply veined slabs to clad the monolithic fireplace, shape the low coffee tables, and wrap the massive kitchen island. The Rosa Levanto has this chaotic, romantic veining that gives the deep crimson background an incredible sense of movement. It acts as the architectural heartbeat of the home.

Q: With such intense focal points, how do you prevent thespaces from feeling heavy or visually overwhelming?

Designer: The secret to working with dark, dramatic features is giving them a quiet, expansive canvas to sit upon. If the floor was busy or dark, the home would feel like a cave.

We specified your Panna Fossil large-format porcelain for the flooring throughout the entire main living level and into the bathrooms. The Panna Fossil has a beautiful, creamy base with just a whisper of organic veining. By using the oversized formats with virtually invisible joints, the floor reads as one continuous, sweeping plane of pale stone. It bounces the natural light back into the room, creating a serene, luminous foundation that allows the heavy burgundy velvets and Rosa Levanto marble-look features to truly sing.

Q: Texture seems to play just as big a role as colourhere. There’s a beautiful interplay between matte surfaces and high-glosselements.

Designer: Absolutely. When you use a lot of solid colour blocks, you need texture to catch the light and add dimension. This is where your Handmade tile collection became our absolute obsession.
We used the Handmade tiles to create moments of high-gloss artisanal charm. In the kitchen, we backed the rich walnut cabinetry with a splashback of Handmade tiles in a striking, glossy ochre. In the living room's custom shelving, we used the cream colorway to add subtle depth behind the decor. We even took the deep burgundy Handmade tiles and used them to clad a bespoke feature table. The undulating, imperfect surface of these tiles reflects the globe pendant lights beautifully, contrasting perfectly with the honed, sweeping expanse of the Panna Fossil floors.

Q: The bathrooms in this home are incredibly distinctfrom one another. How did you approach these private sanctuaries?

Designer: The bathrooms are where we fully embraced the 'jewel box' concept. To maintain a cohesive design language, we exclusively used your custom vanities across all the bathrooms, treating them as luxurious, functional furniture pieces.

In the master ensuite, it’s pure drama. We wrapped the walls and the shower enclosure entirely in the Rosa Levanto slabs and matched it with a seamlessly integrated Rosa Levanto vanity. Floating above the pale Panna Fossil floor, it feels incredibly moody and opulent.

For the powder room, we took a more tactile approach. We installed a stunning curved wood and brass vanity from your collection, and set it against a floor-to-ceiling feature wall of the Handmade tiles in the rich burgundy glaze. The way the light pools on those glossy, handmade squares creates an atmosphere that is intimate, warm, and completely unforgettable.