A journey back to life
On a small hill, surrounded by old fruit trees and an overgrown garden, a villa from the early 1900s was found. The house has been the Gallo family’s gathering place for generations, filled with stories, voices, and everyday moments.
When it was taken over in the autumn of 2024, the villa clearly showed the marks of time: peeling paint, uneven floors, and rooms in great need of both care and skilled craftsmanship. Yet the soul of the house remains intact – the light streaming in through the tall windows, the creaking between the floors, and the view of the garden still create a very special sense of calm.
The project is not just about renovation, but about giving the villa a new life without losing its original character. It is a matter of the heart: a dream of uniting history and modern comfort, and creating a holiday home that both honors the past and holds space for future memories. The goal is to preserve the original details, open up for more light and air, and turn the house into a warm, functional, and personal place to be – a home that can continue to live on for many years to come.
Take care of the old
Restoring Villa Gallo has been – and still is – a journey. A journey that requires patience, curiosity, and respect for the house and the history that already exists here.
The starting point has always been the desire to preserve the old, while at the same time giving the house a modern and comfortable standard. The original details tell something about how the house was once built and used, and therefore it has been important to preserve as much as possible of the house’s character. At the same time, Villa Gallo is meant to be a place where one can live well today.
It has turned out that this balance is not always easy to achieve.
Old houses have minds of their own. Walls are not always straight, solutions are not always the ones that would be chosen today, and what looks like a simple job on paper can turn out to be something entirely different in practice. In those moments, it is necessary to pause, think things through – and sometimes find a completely different solution than the one first imagined.
Italian patience
An important part of the process has also been the encounter with Italian craftsmanship and Italian traditions.
Things are not always done here in the same way as back home. The sense of time can be different, the working methods as well, and solutions are often developed along the way. It has required both patience and a good dose of flexibility.
But this has also been part of the charm.
Because behind the long discussions, the many cups of coffee and the different proposals, there are craftsmen who know the traditions and the materials. People who can see possibilities in an old house and who know how to work with what is already there.
It is a house that has slowly been allowed to find its way back to life – in Italian.
Many choices along the way
The restoration has therefore become a process with many choices, many details and many different solutions.
Sometimes it has been important to return to the original. At other times it has been right to choose something new and modern. In some places, the traces of time have been left visible, while other parts of the house have been given a completely new function.
The goal has never been to make Villa Gallo perfect or to make the house look new.
The goal has been to give the house new life without taking away its soul.
It is precisely the contrast between old and new that makes Villa Gallo the house it is today. The old details provide character and history, while the modern solutions make the house comfortable and practical to use.
And perhaps this is the most beautiful thing about restoring an old Italian house: it is never completely finished. Something new always appears that needs to be considered, something that can be improved, preserved or solved in a different way.
Villa Gallo is therefore not just a house that has been refurbished.
Detailed description of the renovation project
The renovation project includes a comprehensive upgrade of the villa’s façade, roof, windows, bathrooms, kitchen and electrical systems, while the layout and surfaces are modernised. The goal is to preserve the house’s original character, but combine classic details with modern comfort, energy efficiency and functional solutions adapted to today’s needs.
The façade will be cleaned, repaired and painted in a muted, period-appropriate colour palette. Original mouldings, cornices and window bars will be preserved and restored where possible, while damaged sections will be replaced with new elements in the same profile and material. The roof will be partially re-covered with high-quality materials that match the house’s original appearance, while insulation and ventilation will be improved to reduce heat loss and moisture risk.
The windows will be upgraded with new, energy-efficient glazing in a traditional style, with slender bars and frames that mirror the originals. Where original windows are in good condition, restoration will be considered, with improved sealing and internal secondary glazing. Inside, the bathrooms and kitchen will be completely renovated, with new pipe-in-pipe solutions, modern ventilation and durable, timeless materials such as natural stone, ceramic tiles and solid wood. The kitchen will have a layout that opens up towards the dining and living areas, with integrated appliances and clean lines balanced by warm materials such as wood and textured tiles.
The electrical system will be upgraded to current standards with a new fuse box, grounded circuits and sufficient capacity for lighting, heating and technical equipment. The lighting plan emphasises both function and atmosphere, with recessed spotlights where appropriate, combined with visible fixtures that underline the villa’s style. Smart home functions are being considered for lighting, heating and security, but will be integrated discreetly so as not to disturb the classic expression.
The work is planned to be carried out step by step: first mapping, surveying and condition assessment, including inspection of load-bearing structures, moisture and insulation. Then comes the design phase with floor plans, material selection and detailed solutions, before the necessary applications are submitted to the municipality. During execution, work starts on the exterior with roof and façade to secure the building, followed by replacement and restoration of windows. Once the building is weather-tight, work continues inside with demolition, rough-in work for plumbing and electrical systems, then construction of walls, floors and ceilings, and finally installation of the kitchen, bathroom fittings and finishes. The façade will then be plastered and painted.
Practical considerations include site logistics, temporary access, dust and noise reduction, as well as clear phasing to avoid unnecessary delays. Aesthetic considerations focus on overall coherence: consistent use of colours and materials, preservation of original details such as staircases, doors and ceiling roses where possible, and careful transitions between old and new. Possible challenges include hidden damage in the structure, unforeseen findings in walls and floors, or restrictions due to heritage regulations. These are handled by maintaining a flexible progress plan, close dialogue with contractors and, if necessary, heritage authorities, as well as a defined contingency budget for unforeseen costs.
Throughout the entire process, the work is documented with floor plans, material samples and photographic records of the construction site. This provides solid quality assurance along the way and a valuable archive for future maintenance and any new adaptations.
The plan is for the house to be fully renovated by 2028,
- then the basement awaits!
The Final Vision for Villa Gallo
The fully renovated villa is intended to feel like a warm, open and tranquil holiday home where the history of the house remains clearly present. Original details such as mouldings, staircases and doors are preserved and highlighted, while the layout, lighting and choice of materials make the house practical and comfortable for a modern everyday life. The rooms should flow naturally into one another, with clear sightlines between kitchen, dining area and living room, so that the family can be together even when everyone is doing different things.
In daily life, the house should function as a flexible gathering place: a kitchen that invites long, slow breakfasts, a living room that can handle play, everyday chaos and quiet evenings, and bedrooms that offer a hotel-like sense of calm with plenty of storage space. Work and hobby zones are discreetly integrated, making it easy to quickly check an email inbox without the house losing its cosy atmosphere. The outdoor areas should be a natural extension of the living spaces, with zones for gardening, an outdoor kitchen and relaxing seating areas around the pool.
The house is meant to be a place where family and friends gather for everyday life and celebrations, from spring to autumn, with long evenings on the terrace, while always offering quiet corners for peace and reflection. The project is therefore not only about aesthetics, but about quality of life: having a place that provides energy during holidays for the everyday life waiting back home, that makes it easy to cultivate an interest in food, culture and wine, and that feels timeless enough to still be right in 10–20 years. By combining classic materials, carefully considered lighting and functional solutions, the soul of the house is preserved – but with a new, modern framework that makes it a wonderful place to live.
Whether the basement will be realised as a fully fledged cantina with pizza oven, large wine cellar and a small Cinema Paradiso corner remains to be seen. Perhaps participation in the realisation will be possible.
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