Living with HAY – Paola Nerilli and Angelo Milano, Where Home Meets Gallery

22 JULY 2026

Inspiration video

In Grottaglie, a small Italian town in Puglia known for its deep ceramic tradition, art director and creative Paola Nerilli and StudioCromie gallery owner Angelo Milano have made a home rooted in local heritage without being defined by it. Bare stone walls, vaulted ceilings, and arched openings carry echoes of the Arab and Byzantine influences that shaped the region centuries ago. Angelo, who grew up here, constructed much of the space himself, designing the hand-painted tiles that define each room. Together, their flair for colour, contemporary design, and art shapes a home that is uniquely their own, with HAY woven throughout.

How would you describe your home and the feeling of living within it?

Angelo Milano: The house was a personal challenge I embarked on by myself, and it's incredible to see it all done now. I recently sat for the first time in the garden and felt I was truly enjoying it – what a glorious moment that was. We now have the Palissade outdoor furniture by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec out there, which completes the space perfectly.

Paola Nerilli: The home is directly connected to the gallery, and I love that it functions as an all-in-one solution: home, workspace, meeting point, and exhibition space. Sometimes I wish I had a little more privacy, but at the same time I wouldn't have it any other way.

How do you think about design in your everyday life?

Paola Nerilli: I think about it as something that quietly shapes the way we live, move, and feel within a space. What matters to me is not whether something is fashionable, but whether it has character. I immediately recognise when an object or a piece of furniture speaks to me.

What does art mean to you?

Angelo Milano: Art is a tool to create and communicate. I use it – or abuse it – as I would any other tool.

Paola Nerilli: The art we have in our home says something about who we are as a couple, much like the furniture. For me, it is a way of staying curious – the thing that makes you stop, question, look again, or feel something unexpectedly. It can be anything; even the most ordinary everyday object could resonate if it speaks to you in that specific moment.

How do you define your personal style?

Angelo Milano: I've always tried to make my own things – and that is very visible in our home too, right down to the tiles I designed by hand, each one different from room to room. It's all pretty colourful; I don't necessarily enjoy being dressed like a clown, but I do get bored seeing everybody in dark blue, black, or brown.

Paola Nerilli: Eclectic and spontaneous – it pretty much reflects who I am. I've never been particularly interested in rules, and I love mixing things that aren't necessarily supposed to go together. In fashion, that might mean combining completely different garments and influences. At home, it's the same approach: I enjoy contrasts and unexpected combinations.

Where do you find inspiration for your interior?

Paola Nerilli: Through travel and the different places I have lived. I much prefer collecting objects over time rather than decorating according to a specific trend – which is why HAY works so well for us. The designs are contemporary but carry a simplicity that transcends the moment.

How do you relate to colour in your home?

Angelo Milano: It makes me happy – as much as it does when I encounter it outside. It's against our nature to live without it, and playing with it is fun.

Paola Nerilli: I need colour around me; it is fundamental. Colours influence my mood, my energy, and the way I experience a space.

How have HAY designs become part of your surroundings?

Paola Nerilli: What I appreciate about HAY is its confidence with colour and its ability to combine functionality with personality. The pieces integrated naturally into our spaces because they share the same playful, expressive, and characterful spirit, without ever feeling overwhelming. My favourite piece is the Uchiwa Lounge Chair with the matching Uchiwa Ottoman by Doshi Levien, in the red and pink colourway – there is something about its generous shape, its comfort, and the bold combination of colours that I find completely captivating. We also have the Amanta Sofa by Mario Bellini – a 1966 Italian design icon reissued by HAY – and there is something about its low, sculptural presence that feels completely at home in this space.

Angelo Milano: I would have naturally been inclined to make all the furniture myself, so it was a great relief to find pieces that were already made and looked so great.