By Lee Moran

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These stunning pictures show what home life is really like for the richest members of the Roma Gypsy community.

Carlo Gianferro has lifted the lid on the notoriously secretive race to reveal their living conditions are a far cry from the cramped caravans of Channel 4's Big Fat Gypsy Weddings.

His series of 'Gypsy Interiors' portraits show how the often outwardly loud and vivacious people have equally gaudy coloured living rooms and kitchens in their mini-palaces in Romania and Moldova.

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Stunning: These pictures show what home life is really like for the richest members of the Roma Gypsy community

Stunning: These pictures show what home life is really like for the richest members of the Roma Gypsy community

Decorations: The homeowners are free to colour their homes in exactly the way they wish

On display: Their accumulated wealth is demonstrably on display in their palatial homes and villas in Romania and Moldova

On display: Their accumulated wealth is demonstrably on display in their palatial homes and villas in Romania and Moldova

Home time: The interiors of the houses vary, but all have much desired high ceilings

Lifting the lid: Italian photographer Carlo Gianferro has shown how the richest members of the notoriously secretive race live at home

Lifting the lid: Italian photographer Carlo Gianferro has shown how the richest members of the notoriously secretive race live at home

Some are packed full of antique furniture, tapestries, paintings, religious images and china, while others look like they are simply empty spaces waiting to be filled.

Their accumulated wealth is demonstrably on display in their palatial homes and villas in Romania and Moldova.

Gypsy Interiors: Some of the homes are packed full of antique furniture, tapestries, paintings, religious images and china, while others look like they are simply empty spaces waiting to be filled

Gypsy Interiors: Some of the homes are packed full of antique furniture, tapestries, paintings, religious images and china, while others look like they are simply empty spaces waiting to be filled

Pastel crazy: The series of pictures show men proudly sitting in their living and bedrooms

Influence: A dollar sign is prominent in this Roma hallway as its owner proudly looks on

Influence: A dollar sign is prominent in this Roma hallway as its owner proudly looks on

Big and beautiful? Marble and wooden floors, both costing a fortune, are covered in intricate rugs

Gaudy: The bright pink walls is a key feature to this living room, as are the mirrors and bright lighting

Gaudy: The bright pink walls is a key feature to this living room, as are the mirrors and bright lighting

Women are seen sitting on elegant sofas, or portrayed during intimate family moments. Young people are immortalised lounging on beds in their luxurious rooms and elders amongst their mementos.

Earlier this year the Rome-based snapper told klphotoawards.blogspot.co.uk: 'In my projects I particularly focus on people and their communities.

Expensive: The beautiful swirling patterned wooden floor is the main feature of this room

Expensive: The beautiful swirling patterned wooden floor is the main feature of this room

Arty: Scenic pictures of tigers, the Romanian countryside and animals running free adorn the walls of this home

Proud as punch: These two women sit next to a towering fireplace

Proud as punch: These two women sit next to a towering fireplace

Rustler: Donning what looks to be a cowboy hat, this boy shows off with a giant bottle of champagne in his living room

Rustler: Donning what looks to be a cowboy hat, this boy shows off with a giant bottle of champagne in his living room

Dinner time: This Roma family must be in yellow heaven with the decorations in their kitchen

Dinner time: This Roma family must be in yellow heaven with the decorations in their kitchen

'They are the ones that shape their surroundings. Either in the positive and the negative aspects it's essential to talk about all the changes people generate in their environments.

'They are impressions of life. I try to see things from different points of view, to get somehow out from stereotypes. In my 'Roma Interiors' series, I showed the Gypsy people in a new way. No more beggars or the poor living in camps.'

Power shower: Hi-tech appliances are the name of the game in this Roma family's bathroom

Power shower: Hi-tech appliances are the name of the game in this Roma family's bathroom

Winner: Carlo Gianferro won first prize for Portrait Stories at the World Press Photo Awards 2009 for this series of pictures

Winner: Carlo Gianferro won first prize for Portrait Stories at the World Press Photo Awards 2009 for this series of pictures

Hunter: This dining room looks more like a restaurant than belonging in a house

Hunter: This dining room looks more like a restaurant than belonging in a house

Tapestries: Rugs and intricate carpets take pride of place in this living room

Tapestries: Rugs and intricate carpets take pride of place in this living room

Posing: Valuable works of art lie on a beautiful wooden floor, waiting to be hung

Posing: Valuable works of art lie on a beautiful wooden floor, waiting to be hung

His series won first prize for Portrait Stories at the World Press Photo Awards 2009.

It was also shortlisted for the Grand Prix at Fotofestiwal 2009 and the 8th International Festival of Photography in Lodz, Poland.

Prized: The work was also shortlisted for the Grand Prix at Fotofestiwal 2009 and the 8th International Festival of Photography in Lodz, Poland

Prized: The work was also shortlisted for the Grand Prix at Fotofestiwal 2009 and the 8th International Festival of Photography in Lodz, Poland

Flat-screen: A huge television looms over this living room, the marble floor of which has been covered by a beautiful rug

Flat-screen: A huge television looms over this living room, the marble floor of which has been covered by a beautiful rug

Intricate: High ceilings and rather toned down pastel colours give this bedroom a classic feel, which is finished off by a wooden wardrobe

Intricate: High ceilings and rather toned down pastel colours give this bedroom a classic feel, which is finished off by a wooden wardrobe

Different: In Gianferro's 'Roma Interiors' series, he said he showed the Gypsy people in a new way

Different: In Gianferro's 'Roma Interiors' series, he said he showed the Gypsy people in a new way

Open-eyed: He said he didn't want to show beggars or the poor living in camps in this series

Open-eyed: He said he didn't want to show beggars or the poor living in camps in this series

Balcony: This young girl stands proudly at the top of her mansion's stairs, surrounded by mirrors, flowers and a multi-coloured chandelier

Balcony: This young girl stands proudly at the top of her mansion's stairs, surrounded by mirrors, flowers and a multi-coloured chandelier

Sleepy time: A bedroom fit for a princess, laden with religious artifacts, floral wallpaper and toys

Sleepy time: A bedroom fit for a princess, laden with religious artifacts, floral wallpaper and toys

Marble-tastic: This sparkly kitchen comes complete with lights on the glass cabinets

Marble-tastic: This sparkly kitchen comes complete with lights on the glass cabinets

Living the dream: These Romanian mansions are populated by Roma Gypsies

The good life: An exterior shot of one of the Romanian homes lived in by Roma Gypsies

The good life: An exterior shot of one of the Romanian homes lived in by Roma Gypsies


Here's what other readers have said. Why not add your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards.

The comments below have been moderated in advance.

Where do they park the horse??

Startling comments you guys! Seriously? They aren't like us and they don't have the same taste as us, so we'll just laugh at them and make derogatory remarks about something we don't understand... Isn't that what bullies do? And Benny of Ipswich, shame your family didn't send YOU to a school of manners, because you sure could use a few. Do you all really want to live in a homogenized world where everyone buys the same stuff, lives in the same kinds of house, eats the same food, has the same customs, etc etc etc? I mean, if everyone has to be the same what are you all going to do when you want to take your 'right-on' cultural vacations so you can seem more interesting to your friends around the dinner table? Live and let live, for pity's sake.

The 'valuable' painting is a print of the Venus of Urbino by Titian. So unless this one was pinched from the Uffizi, I would say that you could buy the copy almost anywhere for a few dollars.

I love the swirling, wooden floor. It's beautiful.

Although some of these homes were a little "tacky" for me, I found these photos incredibly fascinating. I absolutely love the pictures. How they make their money and how they live, means nothing to me. I just want to thank the photographer for sharing these amazing pictures with us.

Extraordinary that so many people should posses such bad taste, where do they get these interior ideas from. That towering fireplace is terrifying, looks like something bodies would be put in!! Eek

Erm correct me if I am wrong but weren't the first two pictures of the mansions featured in the TV programme of Romanian beggers coming to UK and taking money home. As soon as I saw them here it reminded me of the programme. Just checked and it was the BBC programme on 'Child Beggers' by John Sweeney.

Love all of this, I love diversity, what a wonderful world we live in. Just because we in the west like beige minimalist interiors doesn't make them right!

Kinda tacky but at least they are neat and clean.

The Roma people really are not the same as the Irish travelers, they're not the same people

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