Houzz Tour: Remote Renovation for a Historic Home in Italy
An architect found on Houzz renovates an 11th-century bishop’s residence in Como, Italy, for clients in England
It all started with a phone call: An English family was browsing Houzz for an architect to lead their renovation project in Italy. Seeing Paola Favretto’s profile, they decided to call her right away. Their first chat led to another, and another. The clients and the architect wrote to each other, talked on the phone, shared photos and ideas, and finally met up at the home in Nesso, in the province of Como, in northern Italy. The project was to convert part of a historic structure, dating to the 11th century, into a vacation home.
The building has a long history: The home was built on the site of an old church that dates to the year 1000 and was the residence of the bishop of Como, who lived there from 1064 until his death in 1084.
The building has been renovated several times over the centuries, most recently in the 1980s when it was converted into a bed and breakfast. Today, it is divided into three separate units, including this family’s new vacation home. The owners plan to rent the property out when they are not using it.
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The building has been renovated several times over the centuries, most recently in the 1980s when it was converted into a bed and breakfast. Today, it is divided into three separate units, including this family’s new vacation home. The owners plan to rent the property out when they are not using it.
Find a local architect on Houzz
Before: The clients and architect continued to work together remotely. “We worked over photos, emails and phone calls. The owners only came to Nesso three times, essentially to decide on materials in person. We shared the rest of our ideas at a distance — the process was really fluid and straightforward,” Favretto says.
After: The most important structural work was to remove the wall that divided the kitchen (labeled Cucina in the center of the floor plan) and the living area (labeled Zona giorno). The connection between the two spaces is now more fluid, with a sliding glass door that allows light through and creates an airier feel.
A mirrored wall behind the dining table on the right and the porcelain tile throughout the home further brighten the space. The tile was inspired by the textures and colors of wood. The living area now includes the kitchen, which opens onto the dining and sofa areas.
Separating the kitchen from the dining area is a sliding glass door with an inner panel of linen fabric to make it more opaque.
Before: Favretto also removed the old fireplace, connecting the chimney to a new stove. Before the renovation, the living area had a more rustic look in terms of both colors and style.
After: In addition to the existing radiator heating system, the new stove guarantees comfortable temperatures while creating a cozy feel.
Favretto developed a custom plan for the seating area. She created a shelf behind the sofas that continues along the wall to become a TV stand, a tabletop, storage space, and a bookcase. “The custom piece is made in wood and painted RAL 9010 white, and fit to the old walls’ non-right corners. Everything was made by the carpenters at Idee su Misura di Fabio Giai Levra,” the interior designer says. The piece wraps around the entire space.
The private part of the apartment has a main bedroom and another double bedroom. Here, Favretto focused on adding a new bathroom, changing up the composition of the spaces and improving the connection between the bedrooms and bathrooms.
The hallway first leads to the primary bedroom with its closet, wardrobe space and en suite bathroom. Light floral fabrics give the space character. They were chosen in collaboration with Corsini Finiture d’Interni di Salò, who were also responsible for curtains and other textiles throughout the home.
The hallway first leads to the primary bedroom with its closet, wardrobe space and en suite bathroom. Light floral fabrics give the space character. They were chosen in collaboration with Corsini Finiture d’Interni di Salò, who were also responsible for curtains and other textiles throughout the home.
The spacious main bathroom features a blue vanity unit and a walk-in shower. The wall is finished in 5-by-10-foot tiles.
Browse bathroom vanities in the Houzz Shop
Browse bathroom vanities in the Houzz Shop
Mirroring the primary bedroom, the double room is particularly bright thanks to a window and French doors that open onto a covered terrace.
The second bathroom has a spacious shower too. The fabric effect on the porcelain tiling mirrors the headboard in the main bedroom.
Who lives here: An English family with three children who use it as a vacation home
Where: The historic center of Nesso, outside of Como, Italy
Size: 1,076 square feet (100 square meters)
Architect: Paola Favretto