Our country is so young in ways we cannot understand until we visit other places to see what old really looks like. So, what does old look like? And what does it mean to maintain or recreate a home with such great history and meaning in a way that offers modern amenities, while looking the same as it might have so many years ago? Please join us as we continue to demystifying the remodeling process.
My wife and I recently took a once in a lifetime trip to Italy. We spent time in Tuscany to see the wine country. She planned everything and I just went where I was told and did what I was told… as any good husband might do. I hesitated to share about the trip as I didn’t want it to be taken the wrong way, but I was so overcome by the dedication to the history of the homes and buildings in the towns that it was the perfect topic for a brief remodeling discussion.
Stella Di Monte
When people have a vision or a dream and they pursue it with relentless vigor, amazing things can happen. For Igor and Nathalie, they saw this dilapidated home on a beautiful hill and knew what it could become. In talking to them, I’m not sure they initially understood what all would be involved to get to the finish line, but they should have no regrets as what they created is nothing short of amazing.
Honoring History
Parts of the original home were 500 years old. Other parts were 250 years old. Yet other parts were 150 years old. Some walls had collapsed. Roof areas where completely missing. The home had this incredible wine cellar they didn’t even know existed because they couldn’t get to it to even see it through the debris.
After years of trying to purchase the “debris” that was once a home, they finally succeeded and began a journey of one amazing renovation to make the new look old and honor the origins of the property. The video is a must see, but in the end, they created a stunning place for themselves to live while also constructing 5 guest rooms and a small restaurant that they use only for their 5 guests at any given time.
The business opened in 2022 and made quite an impression on me purely from a professional remodeling perspective. I found myself talking to Igor at length about the process they used to install lighting in the brick floor to create an accent feature designed to wash light off the stone wall in each room. We talked about how they constructed the floors themselves and created the showers… things that may seem silly… but we are literally talking about modern amenities in structures that were in some parts 250-500 years old.
Then There Were The Towns
When we ventured into the towns to explore, we were met with areas that had histories taking them back to the years of 1500’s or 1600’s in some cases, while others seemed to have documented history as far back as the 1200’s. These buildings were massive and gorgeous, yet what struck me was how well built and how well maintained they were. Modern businesses were still operating from the same structures created many hundreds of years ago. It’s fascinating when you think about it.
So What’s The Takeaway?
In the video, I talked about honoring the people who created these amazing spaces. The character of the projects. The care taken to preserve the history. It’s really amazing to think about how these projects were built… and you don’t have to be a remodeler to appreciate what went into them. Whether it was the home Igor and Nathalie just renovated or the buildings we visited within the towns that have stood intact for hundreds of years, the work completed is just mind boggling and something to be applauded!