A vintage painting of a sunlit street scene in a European town with multi-story buildings, balconies, and arched doorways. People are walking and a woman wearing a dress and hat stands near a building. The street is lined with trees and lampposts, leading into the distance.

About Palazzo Cielo

Palazzo Cielo sits in Piozzo, a hilltop village in the Piedmont, in the shadow of a 10th century castle and steps from the parish church of Santo Stefano. The building dates to the 1640s — a grand structure that served as both the elegant residence and working apothecary of a family of chemists whose remedies and curiosities were known throughout the region.

We are restoring it slowly, the way it deserves, living within it as we learn from its bones. Behind peeling paint, trompe l’oeil and frescoes reveal themselves room by room. The palazzo is our European studio in the fullest sense: a working space where we research materials and finishes, source antique and contemporary textiles, meet with artisans and fabric houses, and develop the visual vocabulary that runs through everything we do.

Close-up of peeling paint on a wall revealing wood underneath.

Empty room with wooden floor, large yellow area rug with floral designs, white walls, tall windows, dark wooden door, and arched ceiling with soft yellow lighting.

Interior room with open windows and a balcony, view of neighboring buildings, tile floor, and peeling ceiling paint.

Construction site with a crane, building materials, and partially renovated buildings in a residential area under a cloudy sky.

The worn stone floors, the large windows with their vistas of the Maritime Alps and the rooftops of Piozzo, the quality of light in a 17th century room — these things find their way back to Portland in every project.

Room with ornate painted ceiling featuring floral designs, a black wrought iron chandelier, and a window with shutters. Part of a bed and some bags are visible.

A large, well-manicured tree in front of an elegant building with ivy-covered walls and open windows. Statues and a decorative stone balustrade line a terrace in the background.

The location is quietly remarkable. The French Riviera is under three hours. Milan is less than two. Paris is a TGV ride from Turin. We work across Europe from here. It has changed how we see materials, proportion, and time.