Renovation of a villa in Portoferraio, Elba island, Italy

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The Renovation of a 1970s Villa on Elba Island

Embarking on the journey of transforming a 1970s villa perched on the picturesque hills of Portoferraio, Elba Island, was an adventure shaped by the passion and dedication of my Dutch clients. Enthralled by the unspoiled landscapes, sun-soaked beaches, and the charm of Italian small-town life, they entrusted me with the task of reimagining their dream home. This article delves into the meticulous planning, collaborative efforts, and the creative vision behind the renovation project that seeks to breathe new life into this serene retreat, blending modern comfort with the timeless beauty of its surroundings.

An endless journey

This isn’t the first time I’ve been involved in projects of this type at a distance. The Dutch, as we know, love Italy and gladly explore my beautiful country for their vacations. Sometimes I hear them talk about places I have never been to but they know very well because they return every year. They speak my language, they love interacting with the greengrocer, the baker in their small shops that smell so good.

My clients are couples like these, who love contacts, unspoiled landscapes, the sun, and the sea: all of this in Portoferraio, on the Island of Elba.

I had never been there.

It was precisely them, my Dutch clients, in love with this island, who brought me there and showed me how to reach the destination, where to stay and where to dine….

A fantastic panorama

An endless journey: first by plane from Amsterdam, then by train from Pisa to Piombino Marittima, and from there a ferry to Portoferraio.

My clients, who have nurtured the desire to buy a house there for years (this isn’t the first one they have tried to buy…) have their eyes on a 70s villa, perched on a hill with a breathtaking sea view, from whose terraces you can glimpse the Scoglietto, a rock formation in the middle of a blue expanse.

The villa consists of a ground floor and a first floor, completely independent, and is attached to the mountain wall, making the rooms quite cool even at high temperatures.

A local team

On site, I have organized a team of colleagues that I have to coordinate during the various phases of the project: a surveyor to request permission to modify the house, both internally and externally, and a structural engineer who had taken care of legalizing illegal parts of the building, and who would be responsible for carrying out the structural calculations for the insertion of a staircase that would connect the two independent levels and create a single housing unit for the new family. I am tasked with drafting the project according to the regulations in Portoferraio, agreeing on it here in the Netherlands with the clients, preparing all the drawings needed for the municipal application. After that, once authorization will be received, I would have to take care of the interior design of each room, designing the fixed furnishings, the kitchen, as well as the terraces and the garden.

The project I present to you is the study of the new volumes. Currently, the interior design project is on standby, as we are still waiting for all the building permits for the new internal and external renovation of the villa.

Verbouwing villa in Italie

Maria Elena Fauci van MEF architect

Ik ben architect + interior designer, gespecialiseerd in villa’s, interieurs en renovaties.

Elegantie, functionaliteit, het samenbrengen van verschillende kleuren en materialen zijn de kernmerken van mijn projecten. Ik heb geen vaste stijl en die wil ik ook niet hebben. Elk ontwerp is een verhaal van verschillende elementen die iets unieks vertellen over mijn cliënten.

Ik ontwerp graag de beeldbepalende meubels voor een woning, hier komt mijn Italiaanse afkomst naar boven.

Wil je me volgen op Pinterest voor meer inspiratie?
Maria Elena Fauci MEF architect

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