Sicilian Hillside House

The UNESCO heritage city of Modica founded in 1360 BC is placed on the southern part of Sicily, in the valley of the Hyblaean Mountains. Here, small streets nestle around the old Sicilian Baroque style houses, almost like a maze. Inside this maze, Paris-based designer, Cathy Dupont, fell in love with a century old stable that she transformed into a delicate holiday destination.

A spontaneous trip with a friend to Sicily had Cathy discover Modica. The authentic and rough atmosphere reminded her of her childhood in the countryside in France – a true contrast to her hectic Parisian lifestyle. Here, on the less touristy west-side of the city, where locals value slow living keeping sheep, growing fruits and vegetables and producing cheese, she feels at home.

From a stable to a sanctuary
It takes 262 steps up the hill from the valley before you reach the small stone house. When Cathy Dupont first purchased the place, there were just four walls in poor condition surrounding a water-thirsty fig tree and an old bread stove – practically a ruin, but with a beautiful view of the basilica San Giorgio and the old town. What used to be both a home for families and a stable for their animals like sheep, goats, and donkeys in the 1400s was rebuild from scratch with help from local architect Viviana Haddad – a specialist in restoration. After a full year applying for permission to begin the renovation and another year of hard work for the construction builders to get access to the pedestrian area, the tiny stone house was finished.

The interior
The residence of Cathy only contains two rooms spread across 40 m2. To make the space seem larger, Cathy has chosen not to have any doors – not even into the bathroom. Aiming for as little modernity as possible, the space truly feels authentic to its history as a stable, but still with a high level of comfort in the décor.

From the main door you step right into an open plan living room and kitchen. As a part of the simple delicate décor, Cathy chose a Vipp kitchen of four units: “I saw it in a magazine and immediately called the Vipp office to set up a meeting to see the kitchen in real life in Copenhagen.” It was not an easy task for the kitchen installers to transport and set up the kitchen in the pedestrian area, but the struggles were worth it: “I love the matte black colour of the kitchen and that the dishwashing machine, sink, gas hobs and kitchen tap are a part of the design.” The fridge is hidden in the wall of the staircase and has a mirror door reflecting the old stones on the opposite side, making it is almost invisible.

The exterior
Not being able to provide a garden, Cathy and the architect had to optimize the interior space in another way. And with the beautiful Sicilian sun, it was necessary to have an outdoor spot. Therefore, the small stone house is conveniently accompanied by a 23 m2 open terrace. As Cathy’s favourite room, the terrace is used both day and night when friends come over for aperitifs and when hot summer nights allow for her to sleep under the stars.