A Vanessa Bed in lobster red by Afra & Tobia Scarpa, paired with nightstands carved from blocks of Modica stone. A 1950s brass mirror hangs above a stone sink, crafted from an antique fountain. “For the furnishings, we chose light and, at times, slightly eccentric elements, capable of enhancing the beauty of the building without overpowering it,” describes Cataldi. “Materials such as steel, designed to almost disappear and blend into the spaces, coexist with iron and damask and panne velvets, recalling the ancient Baroque magnificence so present in the Val di Noto and in the history of the building. Stone is another fundamental element, ever present – fragments of columns, sculpted heads that emerge like memories. For us, it’s essential that the interiors be perceived as a continuous narrative, made up of elements that seem never to have been added but simply always existed, preserved by time.” The homeowners’ essentially minimalist approach allows the past to shine through while still expressing a very contemporary spirit. In shape and color, an iron Vanessa Bed in lobster red (by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Gavina) is a vivid contrast to the earth-hued barrel vault above it. A sitting room – floored in vintage Sicilian cement tiles sourced from local antique dealers – features a brass-clad wet bar of the couple’s own design, snug within a niche. A smooth plaster wall in the living room is punctuated with a trio of disparate objects: a Brutalist iron sconce created by Marcello Fantoni in the 1970s, a bronze head from Benin and a sculpture of bronze and lapis lazuli made by artist friend Sergio Fiorentino. “This is our escape, a place we return to whenever we can find some free time, not just in the summer, but throughout the year,” shares Cataldi. “Here, everything slows down, time expands and life becomes simpler. Everything we need is already here – the sea, nature, history and people – and that’s what makes it truly special.”