Caption: Gibbs at the doorway, before renovation commences. Photo credit: Lucky Dog Films.
It has been an exciting time for Arlene Gibbs, who did the gut renovations on a historical house in the small, picturesque town of Arpino, Italy, transforming it into a dream home for her clients Tracy and Matt. The process was documented, and the renovation TV show pilot that she’s been diligently working on will air today on HGTV, one of the most popular TV channels in the United States.
Reno Italiano will air today at 12:30 local time (11:30 EST), between hit TV renovation series Flip or Flop and Love It or List It. Gibbs, who started a company called Arlene Gibbs Décor, has St. Martin roots and is currently dividing her time between projects in Anguilla and Rome, Italy.
She is incredibly excited to share the transformation on the major network. No small feat, the house, which was over 200 years old, had been abandoned for 60 years. With support of a large, collaborative team, which will be introduced during the show, the transformation had its unique set of challenges, but was deemed a great success.
Once renovation started, Tracy and Matt, a couple from the US, were not allowed to see the project’s progress – it was all kept a surprise until the very end. “I’m grateful for the trust they placed in us and that we were able to make their Italian dream home a reality,” says Gibbs. “I’m also grateful for our excellent project managers Kylie and Antonio, phenomenal contractor Bruno, and last, but not least, our on-point geometra, Michele.”
Gibbs also says that she’s learned a lot during the film-making process, and had to get used to being in front of the camera. “I was in good hands, though, with my producers Kip and Rich and our showrunner Katie. This unscripted world is new to me and fascinating.”
Located midway between Rome and Naples, Arpino is attractive to international buyers because of its charm, gorgeous views, and reasonable real estate prices. Gibbs believes that its special charm will remain, even as the town continues to develop.
Don’t forget to tune in to HGTV at 12:30 local time/ 11:30 EST. Follow along on Twitter and Instagram with the hashtags #renoitaliano and #hgtv.
