Day 2 - Polignano A Mare and Monopoli
Today has been one of the most relaxing days of our trip.
When planning our time in Puglia, one of my priorities was to discover this beautiful region while avoiding the busiest tourist crowds. With that in mind, we chose to spend the day exploring the stunning Adriatic coastline around Polignano a Mare.
It did not disappoint.
As we travelled along the cliffs and drifted into the sea caves, I found myself constantly drawn to the colours and textures around me. Within minutes of being out on the water, I could see the connection to Moody Merchant.
The soft limestone cliffs, the layers of rock worn smooth by the sea, the changing colours of the water inside the caves, the endless blue sky and drifting clouds every view felt like a carefully curated palette.
It reminded me that the most beautiful interiors often begin in nature. So many of the colours, materials and pieces I am drawn to for Moody Merchant reflect exactly what I was seeing around me today. Nature has a way of creating combinations that simply cannot be improved upon.
Sometimes the inspiration for a collection isn’t found in a showroom or a catalogue, but floating quietly on the Adriatic Sea, surrounded by colours and textures that have existed for centuries.
As we continue our journey around Puglia, exploring ceramics workshops, discovering beautiful linens and meeting local makers, I realise that I am not simply sourcing products.
I am gathering inspiration.
Today helped me understand the colours I am drawn to, why I am drawn to them and how they connect to this region. The soft chalky whites of the limestone cliffs, the warm earthy tones of the rock, the olive greens of the countryside and the ever-changing blues of the Adriatic Sea all tell the story of Puglia.
These are the colours I want to bring back to Moody Merchant.
When I buy ceramics, linens and homewares over the coming days, I want them to reflect the true colours of Apulia — not an imagined version, but the colours found in its landscapes, villages, coastline and skies.
For me, this trip is not simply about finding products. It is about understanding the place they come from and sharing a little of that story with the homes they eventually find their way into. Alongside this it showed me how much I have on Moody Merchant that ties to this region already.
We finished the evening at the most incredible Masseria Caldrisi and had some farm to table vegetables, homemade pasta and freshly caught seafood. It ended a perfect day in the Mediterranean.
