Inside a restored 18th-century Puglian villa
This is the latest instalment of The Inside Story, Wallpaper’s series spotlighting intriguing, innovative and industry-leading interior design.
In design, the juxtaposition of old and new is a time-honoured trope. In his restoration of an 18th-century house in in the village of Scorrano in Puglia, Tommaso Franchi, founder of the London-based architecture and design studio, Tomèf, took the concept to charming heights. The villa was a stonemason’s workshop in the 1700s; Franchi discovered the derelict site a decade ago, and was captivated by its potential.
Preserving the original architecture and materials was paramount, but Franchi has also infused the space with his signature nod to 1950s and ’60s Italian design, as well as some contemporary touches.
(Image credit: Tomef Design)
(Image credit: Tomef Design)
The path to restoration was littered with logistical difficulties typical of a property of this age, which lacked utilities like running water and electricity. Franchi stripped away rendered internal walls to reveal the original Pietra Leccese stone, which he meticulously repaired
To make the space functional, the interior layout was reorganised: openings were created between the dining and living rooms for better connectivity, while varied floor heights enhanced privacy. A new staircase leads to a vaulted lower ground room, converted into a guest bedroom, and a mezzanine was built for the master bedroom.
Bronze-framed windows and doors were installed, accentuating the weathered beauty of the stone, while the floors are polished concrete inlaid with marble fragments to create a terrazzo-like effect.
(Image credit: Tomef Design)
(Image credit: Tomef Design)
The dramatic dining room boasts a five-metre vaulted ceiling, which makes the two-metre sculptural chandelier – designed by Franchi – feel perfectly scaled. More art than lighting fixture, the chandelier draws inspiration from the luminarie timber frameworks used during the Santa Domenica festival, an annual celebration in Scorrano. This room also features beautiful pieces such as a mirrored dining table, a 1960s coat stand with Murano glass hooks, and an ‘Alta’ chair by Italian sculptor Mario Ceroli.
Though deliberately tucked away, the kitchen is a delight: clad in sandy stone, it contrasts beautifully with a bright yellow Fratelli Bertazzoni cooker.
(Image credit: Tomef Design)
(Image credit: Tomef Design)
(Image credit: Tomef Design)
In the living room, the concrete floor incorporates a ‘rug’ of patchwork stone, while the exposed stone walls give way to beige tones, accented by a sunny velvet sofa. Furnishings include a hand-painted Mousharabiah coffee table, vintage Venetian glass lights, a vintage credenza (dresser), and an oriental-style chaise lounge, chair and desk.
A stone staircase ascends to the vaulted guest bedroom, softened by a Berber rug. Here, a postmodern armchair by Ugo Nespolo provides a sharp contrast to the antique surroundings. The master bedroom, perched on the new mezzanine, adds detail to its white-and-beige context with a bespoke bedcover, Les Ottomans plates, and Moroccan lamps.
(Image credit: Tomef Design)
A masterclass in restoration (the project took five years), this home marries the old and new Italys: the antique spirit of Scorrano and the design capital of the 21st century.
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