Country villa

How do you respectfully alter an authentic villa? ‘We quickly realized we should work with what’s serving, alter what’s distracting, and emphasize the building’s intrinsic qualities,’ says Robert Kolenik. Transcending good looks, the primary design intervention was to create a different layout where the kitchen becomes the centerpiece. ‘We wanted the picturesque home to function now and still work in say ten years from now. Some elements, like the centuries-old beams and fireplace, we just loved to keep.’

On both sides of the cooking area, justly called the heart of the home, invitations for living arise from the dining area or opposing lounge area. ‘We crafted a dark green wall around the existing fireplace that also houses the flatscreen, morphing into a wall-mounted open cabinet that extends to the windows.’ This confident intervention visually connects the intimacy of the home with the great outdoors. In the other part of the home, the inviting master bedroom knows many pleasant details in wood, not last the custom walk-in closet. The lovely picture is completed by the adjacent bathroom area. The mirrored design, centered around the freestanding bathtub, offers a calming vibe to start or end the day with.