Less Is Amore
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Francesco and Mafalda pose on the custom steel staircase between the living room and bedroom of their upstairs unit.Photo by: Gunnar Knechtel -
"The building dates from the end of the 18th century, the street still follows the original Greek path, and there’s even an ancient cistern underneath,” says Francesco Moncada.Photo by: Gunnar Knechtel -
Alberto takes in the seaside sights and narrow alleys of Syracuse on his scooter.Photo by: Gunnar Knechtel -
The Moncada brothers grew up in Syracuse, so it was an ideal place for Francesco to design a home. He just wishes he could spend more time there.Photo by: Gunnar Knechtel -
Fresh goods and tasty treats are always on offer at one of Syracuse’s nearby outdoor markets.Photo by: Gunnar Knechtel -
Here's one of the vendors at the outdoor market that the Moncadas and Rangel frequent. He's selling sun-dried tomatoes by the kilo.Photo by: Gunnar Knechtel -
Francesco and his family revel in home-cooked meals. Here he is looking over the day's catch at the market.Photo by: Gunnar Knechtel -
Photographer Gunnar Knechtel couldn't resist the textured rows of lemons for sale.Photo by: Gunnar Knechtel -
If the orange rubber floor of Francesco’s kitchen is on the humble side (it’s old stock from an office-supply warehouse) then the Pipe lamp by Herzog + de Meuron that hangs overhead is high design indeed.Photo by: Gunnar Knechtel -
The bright orange frame of the glazed door adds a sense of modern exuberance to the deck off of Francesco and Mafalda’s bedroom. The sunny, open space reveals both a Loop chair by Willy Guhl and the tile rooftops of Syracuse, where the water is never far off.Photo by: Gunnar Knechtel -
“We have a boat in the harbor, a one-minute walk from the house,” says Francesco. The sea is never far from Syracuse, and centuries-old walls protect the city from the water.Photo by: Gunnar Knechtel -
Francesco and Mafalda’s bedroom is open and playful with only a bit of Algue by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec guarding the stairs. The lamp was designed by Francesco himself and the decal on the wall is from My Vinilo.Photo by: Gunnar Knechtel -
Elsewhere in the house a cheery minimalism reigns. The chair next to Alberto, a photographer, is Achille Castiglioni's Mezzadro stool.Photo by: Gunnar Knechtel -
This shelf on casters is by Jasper Morrison. Francesco has managed to decorate the house with furniture of his own making and a series of haute-design classics that he's found primarily on eBay.Photo by: Gunnar Knechtel -
A cherry-red Eames rocker is one of the nice touches in the Moncada-Rangel residence. And it's just these splashes of color that give the place so much of its charm.Photo by: Gunnar Knechtel -
Four Universale stacking chairs by Joe Colombo for Vitra flank a white, plastic table in the dining room.Photo by: Gunnar Knechtel -
Despite unrelentingly busy schedules and travels all over the world, the Moncada brothers and Mafalda relish the simple pleasures of a family meal. Alberto serves up the pasta. An Eames Hang-It-All is affixed to the wall where you come up the stairs.Photo by: Gunnar Knechtel -
When they find themselves in Syracuse, it’s hard to resist humble, old-world pleasures like a coffee at a sunbaked cafe or a stroll around the town, which is some 2,700 years old.Photo by: Gunnar Knechtel -
Though the Moncada's and Rangel's home has a thoroughly updated interior, the dominant style in Syracuse is still a good couple centuries old. The town itself is also home to a warren of small streets and alleys dotted with balconies, and the occasional clothesline.Photo by: Gunnar Knechtel -
“The biggest challenge in construction was dealing with legislation and the municipality. The house is on a protected site so everything was regulated," says Francesco. And when you're dealing with such a splendid concatenation of historic buildings leading out toward the sea, it's easy to see why.Don't miss a word of Dwell! Download our FREE app from iTunes, friend us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter!
Photo by: Gunnar Knechtel
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