Interior stylist Sabrina Monteleone-Oeino has found and designed her personal piece of paradise along the coast of the southeast corner of France.
“The view is amazing”, she says. “We can see all the bays, from Monaco to Saint-Jean- Cap-Ferrat to Saint-Tropez, and sometimes even Corsica when the weather cooperates. The house is far from the chaos of Monaco, and in a very peaceful neighbourhood, yet it is only a short drive away.”
AT A GLANCE
Who lives here: A family of four and their cat
Home: A three-storey summer home in French Riviera
ID: Sabrina Monte-Carlo
The project, completed in spring 2016, was a complete renovation. “It used to be an old, traditional house”, Sabrina says, “but we tore it down and only left the structure’s four walls.”
The founder of design studio Sabrina Monte-Carlo, established in 1999 in Monaco, uses the property as a summer house, where she, her husband, two daughters and cat spend May to September.
“We wanted to create a flow between the indoor and outdoor spaces, using natural materials to blend with the landscape”, she says. To achieve that, the same Pietra di Luna flooring was used both inside and outside, linking all levels of the home.
The living room, kitchen and balcony occupy the second level, while the entrance with a garage and gym sits above them. The second balcony, the guest rooms, a spa, the pool and a garden reside on the ground level. A separate garden under a forest of lemon trees exists on the lower level, where you can dine and cook outside.
Open-plan interiors filled with natural light showcase furniture, lighting and accessories by Tom Dixon, the Campana brothers, Paola Lenti and Tai Ping, among others; Sabrina designed some, too.
Crystal pieces, such as the Baccarat chandelier in the living room, add chic touches. Colourful decorative elements and artworks contrast with the clean architectural lines and whitewashed walls.
“The neutral whites and ivories are combined with pops of blue and green to recall the sea and garden outside,” Sabrina explains, “The pool, surrounded by cacti and leopard prints, as well as soft pastel colours such as aqua, light pink and yellow, is the most colourful. We spend entire days there.”
In this eclectic and fun area, where many things from trips around the world exist, a Mediterranean spirit mixes with Mexican influences. Marble, onyx, teak, rattan and bronze provide warmth in the contemporary and comfortable spaces with breathtaking views. Sabrina’s private refuge is also inspired by the Mediterranean.
“It is my dream home,” the designer says. “It has a very positive energy. Although I have other homes, this is where I feel most at home. Just like I do with my offices, shops, and other homes, I constantly try to make things better, buy new pieces or make improvements. That is the problem when you are an interior designer!”
Imagine waking up to the sight of a pristine ocean with the sound of waves lapping down the coast.
Sabrina describes the lifestyle here without hesitation: “It can be very relaxing when we spend the day at the pool and have a long lunch. But we also have huge parties and large dinners. The house is very social; friends and family come and go all the time.”