Tour the couple’s beautiful Roman residence.
Most affluent Italians dream of escaping the city for weekends spent in Positano, but when Positano is your place of work, a new place of respite is needed. Antonio and Carla Sersale are the owners of Le Sirenuse, one of the most iconic and beautiful hotels on the Amalfi Coast, where the stylish and well-heeled flock to summer after summer in search of sunshine and la dolce vita. While the couple spend their summers hard at work in Positano, when they need a break they escape to their impeccably designed residence in Rome.
The Sersales bought the property in 2004 when they renovated it to create the perfect home for entertaining. Their spacious living room has housed many elegant soirées over the years, although Carla Sersale admits their initial house warming party didn’t go quite to plan. “We overestimated the size of the living room and invited 300 people,” she tells us. “Our caterers quickly informed us that the space would house 70 people maximum. Then, by the time the party date arrived, the renovation work was behind schedule, so we had no furniture or electricity. We persuaded the building owner to allow us to use the courtyard instead, so we invited all the neighbours and held the party outside. It ended up being a beautiful evening.”
Today, the apartment is filled with richly embroidered Suzanis, decorative textiles from central Asia, where Antonio Sersale’s father once lived. After he passed away in 2015, he and Carla inherited his collection, which they have used as artworks around their home. “They bring such warmth,” says Carla. “Antonio’s father has definitely passed his passion onto us.”
This article originally appeared on Harpersbazaar.com
The Dining Room
COURTESY OF CHIARA GOIA
“The fake bamboo chairs and table were bought at an auction – the table belonged to a French decorator who was known for her eclectic taste, yet this table is a very classic English style, which meant we bought it cheaply. It’s very well balanced in this room. The piece in between the windows is a tribal textile from Central Asia, while the other to the side is a rug that we hung up – both pieces belonged to my father-in-law. The two photographs you can see on the window ledge are by my husband’s cousin, Marina Sersale, a well-known Italian photographer.
“The ceiling is crooked and the fresco straightens it – when you look at the windows, there is a sense of harmony. Without the fresco, which was designed by friends of ours, the crooked ceiling would be more obvious. It fixes the room.”
