I have a passion for gilding and design that started with property renovation and continued when I was living in London for over a decade, I had the opportunity for further property renovations while working on contracts in the city of London.
My passion for design started with travelling around Northern Italy with a backpack and visiting many villas, many of which were in the Veneto region. From visiting Italian villas, I became interested in classical design, columns, fireplaces, cornices and trompe l'oeil, all of which created a visual illusion, a feeling of being transported to another place.
I have been involved in restoring villas and apartments for over 30 years which has allowed me to develop my passion for gilding. I have project managed all my renovations, this has helped in building bespoke designs, and I have enjoyed working with all the builders, electricians, and other connected trades.
Sustainability is important to me, gilding of objects that have been salvaged from auctions and online websites, creates opportunities to repurpose and enhance what has been salvaged. My interest in classical interior design contributes to sustainability with timeless aesthetic design, where minimal changes to furniture and accessories are required to incorporate interior design trends.
I have run Air Bnb in some of my properties, to allow guests to experience my bespoke designs and gilded interiors.
Villa Roma has featured in the NZ House and Garden magazine, June 2012 for the interiors, and August 2015 for the courtyard.
Qualification: master gilding certificate, Art Gilding Academy Sydney 2015