Scalpellino House

The exquisite beauty of natural stone and the skillful craft of stonemasonry are brought to the fore in this modern family home. Stonemasonry is one of the earliest known professions in human civilisation. Both a craft and an art from, stonemasonry is the shaping of rough pieces of rock into precise geometric shapes – the antithesis of its natural formation.

The Bartucca family are successive generations of stonemasons. Italian-born Frank Bartucca carved out his profession and passion at an early age. Growing up in Rome, he started working with stone at just 13 years old, and the craft has been passed from generation to generation in this family business ever since. The design of Scalpellino House showcases the profession and passion of the Bartucca family, whose legacy of Italian craftsmanship is the cornerstone of Bartucca Tiling and Construction.

The clients wanted a family home that encapsulates modern living and celebrates their family craft and heritage. They required ample, seamlessly integrated storage, and generous spaces to connect with each other and to entertain.

Stone is the centrepiece of every room, its unique beauty and character being an artwork within itself. We glorified this beauty and character through precise design detailing and challenging craftsmanship to create truly unique joinery and spaces that elevate and enhance the pristine materiality.

Bluestone clads large portions of the exterior and wraps into the interior where spaces flow effortlessly through the long footprint. The bedrooms and bathrooms are on the ground floor, and the kitchen, dining, living area and powder room on level one. Clad in honed bluestone, the entrance, spine wall and staircase are an anchoring element that connect all levels, as well as the interior and exterior of the house.

Cosmic Gold granite is the showpiece of the kitchen, dining and living area, with the dark, dramatic stone unifying the spaces. It creates a moody feel for the kitchen island, where its exaggerated gold markings are heightened by a backdrop of black joinery. Extending the length of the dining and living area, it conceals and integrates storage and provides display space. Furnishings with luxurious colour and plush texture soften the room, and sculptural objects from Artedomus’ New Volumes collection are like modern artefacts placed throughout.

The bathrooms and powder room are immersive spaces enveloped with marble on the floors, walls and vanities. The cool grey tones of Elba are soft and calming in the ground-floor bathrooms, while the graphic grey and white of Concordia is stark and striking in the powder room. Crafted to look like one monolithic piece of stone, the effect is dramatic and revealed in a theatrical manner upon entering.

Scalpellino House showcases and celebrates the Bartucca family’s stonemason legacy. Crafting design, stone and artisanry together, the sculptural elements are compelling on their own, and even more impressive collectively.

Design: Biasol
Photography: Timothy Kaye