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Design Dilemma: A New Take on Italian Country

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The old idea about Italian country style is that it involved lots of heavy dark furniture, terra cotta tiles and wrought iron. But visit any Italian villa these days and you are likely to find streamlined modernism — open, airy, and minimal. Take a look at this Italian manse  perched on the hills surrounding the city Triene in the Marche region in central Italy. The  300 year-old farmhouse has been restored by the Swiss architects Markus Wespi and Jérôme de Meuron -Wespi de Meuron Architekten.

The villa has been opened up into one large space showing off  beams and a beautiful stone wall.

The kitchen is simple, minimal and has no upper cabinetry to disturb the open feeling.

While Italian villas used to be dark with small windows to keep interiors cool and shaded from the hot summer sun, today’s modern villas boast big picture windows to let in lots of light and provide a feeling of connection to the countryside.

There’s no clutter here. Everything is clean and wide open. That doesn’t mean uncomfortable though. Today’s Italian villa, while minimal, is outfitted with soft spaces to relax as well.

We’re happy about the quiet, minimalist and relaxing turn the Italian villa has taken. There’s no better place to refresh and renew during a long hot summer!