Offering Luxury on a Small Scale – House Proud, Sun Media

It’s not so unusual for a rock star to go solo once his band takes a hiatus.  But what is rare about Sergio Galli, guitarist and songwriter for Platinum Blonde, is that his solo pursuit wasn’t in music.  He’s a sought-after home designer who is the creative force behind The Serena Group, and its new luxury villas in Mississauga.

“We never really broke up”, says Galli of Platinum Blonde, the new-wave meets glam-rock quartet that sold a million-plus albums in the mid-to-late 1980’s.  “We only planned to take a break but it went on for years and so it was only natural for me to get back to what I had been doing before the band.”

Galli’s first loves were architecture and design and that was his passion before joining the band.  Against the odds, the group made it big in the fickle music business and a relentless schedule of recording, touring, public appearances and screaming girls took over Galli’s life.

“Now that I’m older, I can appreciate it more”, says Galli, of the fame and success.

With music temporarily on the shelf in the 1990’s Galli returned to his first love and started designing million dollar homes for very wealthy clients.

“At first I was nervous”, he recalls.  “I mean, who wants to deal with a rock star, especially when you’re handling something worth millions?  But I don’t think people cared whether I was a musician or not.  As long as you’re able to deliver the goods, which I was, that’s all that matters when you’re dealing with peoples’ homes. “

Several forces collided to inspire Galli to create The VillaOne, a collection of stunning villas officially launching October 15^th.  The sub-prime mortgage collapse in the U.S. occurred around the same time he developed a desire to bring a sumptuous lifestyle down to a more affordable level.  And he happened to be staying in a villa on holiday when a notion gelled.

“It was open concept and it was beautiful.  I thought, I’m really enjoying the atmosphere and if I could just add my luxury touch to it…”

The VillaOne was born.  Each villa is a cozy 900 square feet designed for people who appreciate a luxurious lifestyle but don’t want to live in a giant home.  Each unit is completely separate with its own entrance and garage.  They are individual homes within a stunning building.   Galli says every detail has been carefully considered and given his extravagant touch. “

“You can pay the same amount for a 900 square foot condo”, Galli says, “but you won’t get the same style of living like you will with me.  I’ve always been high-end all the way and believe that if you’re going to do it, do it beautifully.  It doesn’t have to be 10,000 square feet to be luxurious.  I started with the outside.  I find a lot of exteriors are ugly but I wanted the beauty to begin from the moment you see it.  Then inside, lighting, flooring, everything, all high end.”

Galli agrees there are a lot of similarities between music and design, both being creative pursuits.  But designing homes, he says, is not like being in a band.

“It’s a lonely thing.  In the band you collaborate on songs and then play a show.  In design, you deal with tradesmen and contractors of course, but before that stage, you’re on your own.”

Residents-to-be are already purchasing at The VillaOne, based on Galli’s reputation.  And the band is back together now as well.

“We started playing together again after the induction into the Music Hall of Fame (2010) and it was just so much fun.  I didn’t realize back then that we had so many recognizable songs.  The crowds have loved it.  We’re really enjoying ourselves.”