Masseria Moroseta is the stuff of Instagram dreams, with its camera ready dreamy design, story-worthy breakfasts, and selfie-bait resident bulldogs, Beppe and Emma. The fact that this charming bed & breakfast is located in Puglia ”“ undoubtedly one of 2017’s freshest destinations ”“ helps too.

Moroseta evokes a contemporary take on a traditional Pugliese farmhouse, located on the outskirts of Ostuni, a glistening white hilltop town less than 10km from the jagged coastline. The building itself is set within an organic olive grove, from which its owner, Carlo Lanzini, creates all manner of sumptuous olive-based products, from oil to soap, which he sells onsite. If you follow the stairs to the rooftop, you can just about see the Adriatic sea.

Carlo started work on the Moroseta back in 2012, alongside his best friend and founder of Openhouse magazine, Andrew Trotter, who designed the bright white-painted sandstone exterior of the building. After nearly four years of construction, using traditional techniques and local materials, Moroseta opened its doors in 2016.

From inside out, the design blends modern minimalism with an authentic rustic warmth that co-exist in perfect harmony; White painted arches house floor-to-ceiling glass, a Gervasoni lamp hovers over a sandstone floor, and the reception table takes the form of an ancient farmhouse table.

After three unforgettable nights of design-conscious rural bliss, Melting Butter grabbed a few moments with Carlo Lanzini to find out more.

Your background is in cinematography. How did you decide you wanted to design and run a bed & breakfast?

I studied cinematography at ”˜The London College of Printing’ and then worked for a few years as an assistant editor between London and Rome.

Since I was young, I dreamt of having a small place where I could host a few guests. I was born in Brescia in the North of Italy, in the countryside. We had a big house and I remember it always being full of friends and relatives. I’ve always imagined my house to be the same.

What were your major inspirations for Masseria Moroseta?

The old Masserias. It took us almost two years of research in the area to understand what was so special about life in the Masserias. We were amazed at the simplicity of the architecture.

Why Ostuni?

I started to look for properties in Salento near Lecce, but I didn’t like that area as the countryside was too flat for me. Then one night, coming back from Lecce, Ostuni was all lit and it was just incredible, so we decided to stay in town for a few days and I just fell in love”¦

You collaborated with Andrew Trotter (founder and editor of Openhouse magazine). What were each of your roles in Moroseta’s conception?

Andrew is my best friend and we have known each other since my years in London. When I decided to build Moroseta it was just natural for me to ask him to make my dream come true and design the building. Also, Andrew can draw and I can’t”¦but it’s been a collaboration between the two of us. We argued so many times during the process. But ultimately, our long-term friendship made this happen.

Do you still work together now in any way?

Yes of course. We have a few projects coming up, but this is still something we prefer to keep to ourselves for now : )

Tell me about your sustainable ethos.

I’ve always been very attentive to the environment. I love following the new alternatives for energy. When we decided to build a modern Masseria I did loads of research into how we could make it almost 100% sustainable and consumption free.

Now, we heat the water with sun panels and in winter we heat the whole building with what we have left over from pruning our olive trees. We produce 80% of our electricity. Also we made the walls so thick that our guests hardly need to use the air-conditioning.

When is the best time of year to stay at the Masseria?

Any season in Puglia has it’s beauty. We open all year round. In winter this area can be fascinating. So many villages, caves, restaurants and hidden spots to discover. In summer we have amazing beaches.

You host intimate dinners for your guests every now and then. Have these been a success?

This is something that our guests are liking more and more. Giorgia, who is looking after all the food in Moroseta, is just fitting in with our modern farmhouse concept.

Breakfast is a real event at Moroseta. Was serving a different spread each day a conscious decision?

When I was thinking about how I would run a B&B, I was trying to think of the meaning of B&B and I decided that it has to have an amazing bed and amazing breakfast. All the rest was secondary.

Then I imagined what I would like to have for breakfast when I go on holidays. To me, having the same breakfast for five days is really boring and tiring”¦

Your ceramic obsession is intense! Who are the best ceramicists on your radar right now?

Antonio Fasano, Nicola Fasano and Giorgio di Palma.

What does the future hold for Masseria Moroseta?

 Stay tuned : )

https://www.masseriamoroseta.it/?lang=en

Masseria Moroseta Puglia
Contrada Lamacavallo s.n
72017 ”” Ostuni (BR)

+39 338 18 99 199

 

Jodie is a style and travel editor who lives in London but considers herself a citizen of the world. Between adventures, she produces travel, fashion and culture content for established brands and inspiring publications and platforms including COS, Junko Journal and Tate.

(All photos courtesy of Masseria Moroseta Puglia. Photography by Mari Luz Vidal, Marina Denisova, and Salva Lopez.)

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