Renovation of a 15th-century farmhouse villa

About this project

The 15th-century farmhouse villa that is the subject of this restoration project is located in the municipality of Monteriggioni (SI), just a short walk from the splendid Chiocciola castle. The Villa has been attributed by some scholars to the work of Baldassarre Peruzzi, a Sienese painter and architect who worked in the area between the 15th and 16th centuries. The project focuses on the piano nobile (main floor) of approximately 400 square meters, with the creation of a modern and functional apartment equipped with every comfort. The guiding idea of the project was to use two parallel registers: the almost philological approach to restoring the original elements, and the entirely contemporary approach to the new interventions and furnishings. The result is an ensemble in which the two parts engage in dialogue through often very different expressions, while constantly seeking a shared final synthesis. The original masonry was therefore treated with a lime plaster colored in the mix and smoothed with a trowel, following the example of the original 15th-century plasterwork, and the exposed ceiling beams were also treated with a light lime wash. The existing floors were restored and likewise given a lime wash finish. The new spaces required for the new living arrangement, on the other hand, were built as boxes finished in glossy white enamel that never reach the ceiling, stopping short to accommodate indirect LED lighting features. The new floors in the living area were made of light ochre-colored cementitious resin, with no expansion joints. The bathroom floors and wall coverings are made using the same materials. The floors in the sleeping area, by contrast, are all made of natural oxidized oak parquet treated with lime. All the furnishings in the house, with the exception of a few reclaimed objects, were custom-designed and produced by local artisans as one-of-a-kind, unrepeatable pieces. The furnishings are made from reclaimed oak wood with black graining, raw sheet iron treated with natural wax, and matte white lacquered wood elements. The kitchen countertop is in polished matte black marble. The apartment is equipped with radiant floor heating, home automation controlling every function, and lighting entirely realized with LED fixtures.