Another photoworthy sunset melts into the Tyrrhenian Sea, framing the coastline of Campania—a region of Southern Italy that has noticed an uptick of property buyers keen for a real taste of the authentic side of Italy. The Fractional Group sits down with Dawn Doory, Co-Founder and Interior Designer at The Pinelli Group–to talk about her passion for design and their ever-growing collection of luxury co-ownership properties in Campania, Italy.
Can you share with us how your journey into design and The Pinelli Group began?
I’ve always had a passion for design and property. After a successful 28-year career with one of the UK’s largest High Street Retail Chains, enjoying various roles including merchandising, buying, sales and service, I decided to expand my property portfolio in the UK, Portugal, and Italy–a country myself and my husband felt passionate about. So much so that we chose to get married there, fell in love with the people and the lifestyle and set about sharing our dream with those seeking to own a slice of their very own La Dolce Vita but without the complexities that usually come when buying a property abroad.
How do you bring your design ideas to life after acquiring a property?
The excitement of knowing what can be created gives me such a buzz, knowing we can achieve something so wonderful. It always starts in a way where I get the feeling from the property. I let the property “speak” to me, and what follows is an incredible amount of research. I see a piece, and the concept evolves from there. Extracting the real essence of the property is vital to bringing my designs to life and executing the final result. Inspiration can strike any time of the day or night, and it’s not unusual to see me at 3:00 am in front of my computer looking for that specific purchase for the dining room or bedroom that will achieve my vision!
What are some of your favorite design and decor elements of the properties?
We always seek to use and reuse natural materials like stone and wood in our properties, keeping as much of the original character as possible. Then, I look to blend these elements cohesively with external products I’m incorporating into the design. This enhances the feeling of the property we’ve renovated and are bringing back to life. Textures are really important, and I love the subtle interplay of different patterns and textures, like velvet, to give a three-dimensional feel to the spaces. Remember, these homes want to be lived in and enjoyed, so the design has to feel like a luxurious home from home and not a touch-me-not home. I search online or locally in Italy for those unique one-off pieces that I know will elevate the space entirely, like the fabulous chandelier over the bath in Casa Tramonto!
Can you tell us about the Pinelli signature bathrooms?
We want our owners to feel special when coming to their vacation home and bringing guests with them, so as our properties have evolved, so have our bathrooms and main suites. We have become known for our signature “wow” bathrooms, where owners can experience the quality and luxury of a 5-star hotel bathroom and enjoy the indulgence of the space.
This might take the design form of an opulent free-standing bath, gold taps, or huge ornate chandeliers and mirrors, with exquisite luxuriant details which make the owners feel like the most special people in the house.
Do you have a favorite feature of the properties?
It’s hard to pick just one, but with the kitchens, I love to design an interactive space for people to gather. A social space that’s perfect for an aperitivo when friends are around.
They say kitchens are the heart of the home, but I also believe that a fire creates the heart, with its cozy hypnotic qualities, so we always try to incorporate a real wood-burning fire in our properties, and with one of our new properties, Villa Velius, we have an outside firepit with seating around it. There’s no better way to enjoy an evening beneath the Italian starlit sky!
“It’s a great feeling to come back and walk through the doors and think, “Wow!” We did this. We created this, and it’s a great feeling—a really good feeling.”
