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Ciao Bella Ciao Bella
Ciao Bella Ciao Bella Ciao Bella
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Designing La Dolce Vita with Arlene Gibbs

Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify | iHeartRadio

Dreaming of living in Italy? Dreaming of a house under the Tuscan sun, in the Lazio shade, on a hill top in Umbria? Interior designer makes your dolce vita dreams into a reality. A quadruple threat author/screenwriter/designer and television host, Arlene has been living in Rome for over a decade where she forged personal relationships with incredible artisans and architects to help her create the dreamiest of dreams in apartments and villas. Arlene was recently featured on HGTV’s Reno Italiano, following her year-long project designing and realising a beautiful townhouse in Arpino (Lazio). Additionally she just finished an incredible ground-up ocean side villa in Anguilla . Arlene is a close friend so this could just be one of my favourite podcasts. Listen in and get to know more about what’s its like to create a dream home in Italy. . . and in the Caribbean.

The very beginning of the Italian dream home.
Bed room views. Love the exposed wall!

In This Episode

[02:22] Interior Designer Arlene Gibbs

[07:21] From Screenwriting to Interior Design

[17:48] Designing La Dolce Vita

[28:56] Sand and Sea, Designing and Building a Caribbean Villa

[29:24] The Cottage at Mead’s Bay, Anguilla

Dream kitchen.
Living room with artisanal reproduction of Mies Van der Rohe’s Wassily chair.

Find Out More

Arlene Gibbs Dècor

Arlene Gibbs on Instagram

The Cottage at Meads Bay (Anguilla)


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Erica Firpo

Will travel for art and food. For more than two decades, Erica has been bringing you Italy. As the voice behind Ciao Bella and Ciao Bella podcast, she immerses herself in the stories of contemporary Dolce Vita. She is an ongoing contributor to AFAR, Conde Nast Traveler, Fathom, Forbes, Hotels Above Par, Travel + Leisure, Washington Post and more.

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About Ciao Bella

Ciao Bella celebrates contemporary Italy in a digital magazine and podcast. Consider Ciao Bella an infinite treasure chest revealing the bel paese’s most captivating people, events and sites, and the best in-the-know spots to sip, chat and chew.

About Erica Firpo

Erica Firpo is an experienced travel and lifestyle journalist, and podcaster based in Rome. Italian and American, Erica gets to the heart of culture in Ciao Bella and more. She’s authored over a dozen travel books including Fodor’s, Insight Guides and Lonely Planet.

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Insider Insight on Contemporary Italy

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