GET OUT OF YOUR HEAD AND INTO YOUR LIFE

After many years working in construction and property development, we’ve begun the project we’ve dreamed about for a long time: creating our own off-grid home in the south of Italy. What started as a vision has grown into a full self-build adventure — a place where we can bring together our experience, creativity, and love for this landscape.

This website is a place where you can explore what we’re building, understand the ideas behind it, and follow the evolution of our off-grid home in southern Italy. We also share parts of the journey on YouTube, where we sometimes share the design process, the challenges, and the vision that shape our self-build. You’ll also come across Homes and Grapes, the name we’ve given to this dream project as it grows and unfolds.

Our first Italian renovation taught us the rhythm of local craftsmanship and the beauty of working with old structures in a small Apulian village. Now, on a wild and untouched piece of land in southern Puglia, we’re creating a contemporary, sustainable villa from the ground up — a project that combines our skills with our long-held dream of living closer to nature.

We’ve been a team for many years, building and renovating homes across Sweden and the UK. With decades of experience between us, we bring a mix of technical expertise, hands-on know-how, and a shared passion for thoughtful, human-centred design.

Helen is a self-taught architect, qualified interior designer, and project coordinator with experience in large-scale residential developments. Carl is a highly skilled builder and contractor with decades of practical experience — someone who can take an idea on paper and turn it into something real.

We invite you to explore the project, get to know our approach, and follow along as we build a home and a life in this unique corner of southern Italy.

Helen & Carl