A current leisure villa on the Italian island of Capri, designed by Melbourn-based interior designer and homeowner Uschi Schwartz. Uschi and Danny Schwartz, with their two-½-year-old son Benji, are a Melbourne-based couple who were yearning out for the European sunshine during the cold winter months. Two years ago, they found the perfect Capri-home on the cliffs of the island in the Bay of Naples — complete with glistening Mediterranean views.

The Capri summer home had been formerly part of an Italian politician/property magnate who subdivided his Palazzo and sold off subsections — the Schwartz’ 3,000 sqm property housed the centuries-old stone cistern that had been transformed into a villa in 1974. Facing south, the water-side home overlooks the famous Faraglioni islands and has private access to the sea, the pine forest and limestone cliffs.

The first changes were to open the living space to reflect their breezy informal Australian lifestyle while honouring the Mediterranean environment and surrounding forest. They gutted the interior, only keeping the original external stone walls, added windows and renovated the basement store into a separate apartment. 

Inspired by the stunning vistas, the young family kept the furniture clean, fresh and natural, to harmoniously blend with the natural surroundings. The three-levelled interior consistently reflects the exterior with natural woven artworks made on the island from Eco Capri and dinnerware by local artisans, Eureka di Pollicino, handmade and painted in Capri. 

Most of the family’s time in the Italian villa is either spent by the saltwater pool or on one of the many terraces overlooking the vistas. The family chose Fermob furniture consistently throughout, adding vintage pops of colour to celebrate the surrounding tonal and textural palette— including the Mediterranean terraced garden they established from the ground up.