Our meeting with customers took us to Istria. Lena Puhar O’Grady, an art historian and archaeologist by profession, along with her family, runs a small family business involved in the production of high-quality extra virgin olive oil. In the old town of Vodnjan, they have an “oil boutique,” and near the city, in a wonderful location overlooking the Brijuni Islands, they have a 10-hectare olive grove where they engage in olive tourism, offering organized visits, interpretive walks with guided tastings, and picnics among the olive trees.
At the same location, surrounded by olive groves, their beautiful holiday home has been situated since last year. We take you through a conversation with Lena and with the help of beautiful photographs, where you’ll notice hdizajn posters decorating this lovely interior.
Next to Vodnjan with a view of the Brijuni Islands, you have arranged a beautiful vacation villa. Where did the villa get its name?
Building a holiday villa right on the olive grove location was our long-time dream. We were guided by the desire to offer our guests the opportunity to relax in nature, in complete privacy and silence, with an incredible sea view, yet with everything needed for a complete, comfortable, and relaxing stay.
The entire olive grove area is named Santa Margherita, after the 13th-century church of St. Margaret located in the olive grove. The church is adorned with medieval frescoes, situated between two beautiful centuries-old oaks, and is a place of wonderful and soothing energy. The name for the villa came naturally – we wanted it to carry a female name and exude the same kind of energy, connecting to our story.
The architecture of the villa incorporates rustic elements, handcrafted Istrian stone cladding, a terrace reminiscent of balustrades, yet the villa is still a modern structure.
How did you choose the style and concept for interior design?
I designed the interior myself; I wanted it to be contemporary, airy, and clean since it’s a newly built house, but not cold and generic. The furniture pieces are made of quality materials, functional for maintenance, yet aesthetically refined, with thoughtful design. As Istria has been significantly influenced by Italy since the time of the Republic of Venice, which is still evident today in mentality, gastronomy, and architectural heritage, I wanted to convey that feeling of relaxed leisure, known to Italians as ‘la dolce vita,’ into the decor. Hence, almost all the furniture pieces are of Italian design.
How did you choose the style and concept for interior design?
The architecture of the villa features rustic elements, with handcrafted Istrian stone finishes and a terrace reminiscent of balustrades, yet the villa remains a modern structure. I certainly wanted the space to exude warmth and a homely atmosphere, which I aimed to achieve by introducing colors and textures. I started with a palette inspired by the natural surroundings of the villa: colors of olive leaves – silvery green, Istrian red hues, and warm ochre yellow reminiscent of sunsets. The colors harmonized beautifully, especially with the statement matte black kitchen. The materials used include the finest cotton, wool, and linen..
What were the main challenges in decorating this villa?
Lack of time, or the immense pressure for the project to be finished as soon as possible and put into use, which means I had to make decisions exceptionally quickly, and we know that mistakes can slip in when working hastily. Houses and spaces need time to come to life. I expect that. Some ideas and arrangements will change over time, and that’s okay.
How have our hdizajn designer posters contributed to the aesthetics of the interior? How did you choose them?
As furniture was marked by Italian design, I wanted to support as many Croatian brands as possible through decorations. I have been following Hdizajn from the beginning and immediately knew that it would fit wonderfully into the interior and be the detail that makes a difference. Placing works of art in a rental property is always a tricky task because artistic pieces establish a personal connection and reflect personal taste, while the space being rented must somehow maintain neutrality in that sense. On the other hand, it’s easy to fall into banality, generality, and uniformity. Hdizajn posters are therefore a perfect choice – they are original, visually and colorfully well-designed, and each has its own uniqueness and story. The craftsmanship is very high quality, and the packaging is thoughtfully designed to prevent damage during transport, with a very fair balance between price and quality.
I chose them based on feeling, how I already envisioned them in various positions in the villa.
Which one is your favorite poster?
My favorite poster is Ona 3; the whole series is truly beautiful to me – minimalist composition, delicate, feminine, and sensual motif, powerful yet unobtrusive. I immediately envisioned it on the wall in front of the bathtub.
Do you have a favorite corner in the villa?
Especially inside the main bedroom. When you sit in a relaxing bath, you can see the Brijuni islands in the distance… With some soothing music and a glass of wine – total relaxation.
I’ve been following Hdizajn from the beginning and I immediately knew that the posters would beautifully fit into the interior and be that detail that makes a difference. Hdizajn posters are a perfect choice – they are original, visually and coloristically beautifully designed, and each one has its own uniqueness and story.
Along with the villa, there is also a lovely olive grove. Your story doesn’t stop just at decorating the villa but extends to a special love for olives. Can you tell us more about that?
Our story begins with a love for olives and olive oil. I am a certified olive oil taster, and my great passion is sharing my knowledge about this wonderful product, which is widely used but not well known. Through our guided tastings and visits to the olive grove, we actually tell the story of this beautiful region, of the natural and cultural heritage of Istria, and of a specific way of life in harmony with nature.
What are your next plans?
There are many! We are currently building an agricultural building at the olive grove location, which will combine both production and sales, and provide a platform for developing and offering various other services related to olive oil education, workshops, and events.
In all of this, we strive to maintain a healthy spirit, time for family and relationships with people, rejoicing in every small and big success of our small and diligent family, with a smile on our faces and open hearts.
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