Houzz Tour: A Joint Effort Rescues a Centuries-Old ‘Ruin’
Original materials, antiques and smart home tech mingle in this restored farmhouse on Italy’s Lake Garda
It’s hard not to fall in love with Italy. Russian designer Zhenya Zhdanova’s clients loved it so much that they decided to buy a vacation home on Lake Garda. The ancient farmhouse cost only as much as a one-room apartment in Moscow’s suburbs for a reason: The deed to the property officially classified it as a “ruin.” Nonetheless, the owners were excited to restore the original appearance of the building. For the designer, the project turned into a real architectural adventure, from negotiating the Italian bureaucracy to restoring the crumbling masonry.
The first stage involved construction and facade work. The farmhouse was in bad shape. The 28-inch-thick stone walls had been built directly on the ground, while the floor joists were nearly falling to pieces underfoot. The wooden roof supports were rotten, though almost all the shingles were in good condition.
The builders poured the foundation in small sections to prevent the walls from collapsing. Then they integrated vertical metal supports in each area. They even managed to preserve the arched vaulting in one of the rooms on the ground floor. The old shingles were removed to later be relaid on a new roof structure.
However, as soon as the roof was disassembled, there was a crisis: The aging walls started to lean, causing the walls of the adjoining house to crack. The builders, engineers and representatives of the municipal authority had to call an emergency meeting to make changes to the project. In the end, the frame of the house was reinforced with additional metal supports.
“This ruined the look of the walls to a certain extent,” Zhdanova says. “But we did our very best to put these supports where they wouldn’t be noticed or hide them under plaster.”
The builders poured the foundation in small sections to prevent the walls from collapsing. Then they integrated vertical metal supports in each area. They even managed to preserve the arched vaulting in one of the rooms on the ground floor. The old shingles were removed to later be relaid on a new roof structure.
However, as soon as the roof was disassembled, there was a crisis: The aging walls started to lean, causing the walls of the adjoining house to crack. The builders, engineers and representatives of the municipal authority had to call an emergency meeting to make changes to the project. In the end, the frame of the house was reinforced with additional metal supports.
“This ruined the look of the walls to a certain extent,” Zhdanova says. “But we did our very best to put these supports where they wouldn’t be noticed or hide them under plaster.”
Almost a third of the construction budget went toward restoring the stone walls, inside and out. On the upside, the team managed to preserve the stone masonry in almost every room. It also was able to find old bricks and missing shingles.
The living room is one of the most spacious rooms in the house. Its highlights are the bar and the vaulted ceilings. “The builders told us that this is where people used to keep horses and cows,” Zhdanova says. “Along one of the walls was a stone ledge that the animals used to eat from. During the renovation, we found bowl-shaped pots and hung them from the ceiling — they would originally have been filled with feed.”
The living room is one of the most spacious rooms in the house. Its highlights are the bar and the vaulted ceilings. “The builders told us that this is where people used to keep horses and cows,” Zhdanova says. “Along one of the walls was a stone ledge that the animals used to eat from. During the renovation, we found bowl-shaped pots and hung them from the ceiling — they would originally have been filled with feed.”
The windows are randomly spaced and variously sized. The team had planned to make them more regular but wasn’t allowed to do so. The authorities decreed that this is part of the beauty of the ancient facade.
Zhdanova came up with the idea of installing a glass front door to allow more light into the space.
Zhdanova came up with the idea of installing a glass front door to allow more light into the space.
The bar features patterned tiles. Its dimensions were calculated to ensure that not one tile would have to be cut. It is equipped with a sink, wine fridge and dishwasher. There is a full kitchen elsewhere in the home (not pictured).
From the designer’s sketch, an artisan from Padua, Italy, made a cupboard out of old, insect-eaten oak. It stands behind the counter. “I met [the craftsman] for the first time at the market, and I noticed that, besides antiques, he also sells new furniture made from old wood. The cupboard was made to size with traditional Italian techniques. He didn’t even use modern mechanisms for the sliding doors — they slide along a track sawed into the wood, slicked with fragrant wax. The bar stools are also [this craftsman’s] work,” Zhdanova says.
From the designer’s sketch, an artisan from Padua, Italy, made a cupboard out of old, insect-eaten oak. It stands behind the counter. “I met [the craftsman] for the first time at the market, and I noticed that, besides antiques, he also sells new furniture made from old wood. The cupboard was made to size with traditional Italian techniques. He didn’t even use modern mechanisms for the sliding doors — they slide along a track sawed into the wood, slicked with fragrant wax. The bar stools are also [this craftsman’s] work,” Zhdanova says.
There is a lot of stone in the interior. Zhdanova added yellow accents to make the living room seem warmer. The round painting of lemons was a real find: According to the antiquarian, it was recovered during the restoration of a villa in northern Tuscany. The top of the antique coffee table was also repainted yellow to match.
Couch: Mito Home; rug: Calma House
Couch: Mito Home; rug: Calma House
The metal stairs have an aged look. They were welded in a local workshop based on Zhdanova’s sketches.
“Most local workshops are family businesses. The younger generation does the billing and documents, using modern technology, while the older one does the actual artisanal work, preserving tradition and quality,” she says.
“Most local workshops are family businesses. The younger generation does the billing and documents, using modern technology, while the older one does the actual artisanal work, preserving tradition and quality,” she says.
A separate room next to the living room is dedicated to the fireplace. The chimney is in its original location. The cast-iron stove also has two oven compartments.
Armchairs, a mid-19th-century crystal chandelier, a bellows and a set of lithographs tie the room, and the theme, together.
A door to a very compact guest bathroom hides between this room and the living room.
Armchairs, a mid-19th-century crystal chandelier, a bellows and a set of lithographs tie the room, and the theme, together.
A door to a very compact guest bathroom hides between this room and the living room.
This guest bathroom is only about 3 by 4 feet wide, and such a small space requires a small sink. The team found one in Giallo Reale marble, which cost about $350 (300 euros) for a slab. One of the bathroom’s walls is lined in the same material.
The stairs lead to the split-level children’s room. A light fixture made by Handle Studio of St. Petersburg, Russia, illuminates the entrance. Its transparent glass balls emanate a bright light, while its slightly aged brass transports the viewer back in time.
The 19th-century armoire is painted on the outside and has a secret on the inside. Behind one of the drawers lies a hidden compartment that is only visible when the drawer is fully extended.
The 19th-century armoire is painted on the outside and has a secret on the inside. Behind one of the drawers lies a hidden compartment that is only visible when the drawer is fully extended.
Since the ceiling is about 15 feet at its highest point, Zhdanova and her team created a mezzanine, shown in the next photo. It is accessed by a light metal ladder, also made in a local workshop. The kids are old enough to comfortably and safely climb upstairs.
The skylights and their roller shades open with the push of a button.
The skylights and their roller shades open with the push of a button.
Antique double doors lead from the children’s room to the master bedroom. They fit almost perfectly into the original space, with any irregularities corrected by a new door frame. The brick red of the frame also helps the doors stand out against the walls. The wooden railing is painted the same color.
The other doors on this floor are modeled on this antique pair. They were painted white and aged by a restorer.
The other doors on this floor are modeled on this antique pair. They were painted white and aged by a restorer.
The master bedroom opens to the terrace, which offers views of the lake and the old town.
“During the day, it’s quite hot here, but in the evening, you can have dinner, drink wine from local wineries, enjoy the lights on the other side of the lake, listen to the music coming from the restaurants on the shore and make wishes on falling stars,” the designer says.
Bed: Mito Home
“During the day, it’s quite hot here, but in the evening, you can have dinner, drink wine from local wineries, enjoy the lights on the other side of the lake, listen to the music coming from the restaurants on the shore and make wishes on falling stars,” the designer says.
Bed: Mito Home
Though the restoration aimed to preserve the historic character of the building, it also includes modern touches. The heating connects to a smart home system that can be controlled remotely. The owners can turn on the heater while waiting for their flight in Russia and then arrive at their already warm house on the lake.
Speakers also are built into the walls. They are on one network, but it is possible to listen to different music in different rooms.
Speakers also are built into the walls. They are on one network, but it is possible to listen to different music in different rooms.
The bed and the textiles are the only contemporary items in the bedroom. The oldest piece is a mid-19th-century armoire.
“It’s made very cleverly,” Zhdanova says. “The doors can be removed from their hinges, and the top is easily separated from the bottom.” A horizontal divide allows the armoire to split in half; the join is concealed with decorative molding. “Such a simple but effective design made it easy to bring it through small doorways.”
“It’s made very cleverly,” Zhdanova says. “The doors can be removed from their hinges, and the top is easily separated from the bottom.” A horizontal divide allows the armoire to split in half; the join is concealed with decorative molding. “Such a simple but effective design made it easy to bring it through small doorways.”
The workers found two hidden niches while renovating the walls in the guest bedroom. These are now accentuated with lights. The headboard is made from an antique painted door. Its height coincided with the planned width of the bed.
The oak chest of drawers, which dates to the middle of the 19th century, is also painted. Its old wood is so well-preserved that it didn’t need to be restored.
Textiles: Zara Home
The oak chest of drawers, which dates to the middle of the 19th century, is also painted. Its old wood is so well-preserved that it didn’t need to be restored.
Textiles: Zara Home
The second guest bedroom is decorated with finds from antiques markets, including the Tuscan diptych above the headboard. The paintings date to the mid-19th century.
Bed: Jysk; textiles: Zara Home and Sluiz
Bed: Jysk; textiles: Zara Home and Sluiz
There isn’t a single right angle in the main bathroom, which complicated the design. Even the mirror had to be mounted in a special way 4 inches from the wall on the right side.
The vanity top is made of travertine, one of the most popular materials in Italy.
The vanity top is made of travertine, one of the most popular materials in Italy.
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House at a Glance
Who lives here: A vacationing couple and their children
Location: A small town on Lake Garda, in northern Italy
Size: 1,615 square feet (150 square meters)
Designer: Zhenya Zhdanova
This neighborhood is built in the traditional style of the 15th and 16th centuries: One house adjoins another, walls are made of stone, and alleys are paved with cobblestones. Approval for the project took eight months. Since the house is listed as a historic property, decisions had to be coordinated with the provincial and municipal authorities. Because of the building’s terrible condition, this involved a huge stack of documents.
“A local architect with a special license solved all the problems to do with obtaining the needed authorizations,” Zhdanova says. In being the liaison with the council, architect Cristian Avanzi was especially responsible for safety, seismic considerations and historical features.