Having rescued this Tuscan villa from near ruin, its British owners commissioned Artichoke to design a hard-working kitchen. Arabella Youens explains more.
Originally built in 1916 by a Swiss family, this 12-bedroom villa stands nearly 4,000ft above sea level on the border between Tuscany and Umbria. It was used as a hotel, but was abandoned in the 1980s. For its new British owners, a hard-working kitchen to suit their large family of enthusiastic cooks was essential.
‘When we first took on the project, a tree was growing through the kitchen and the basement was full of snakes and scorpions,’ says Artichoke’s creative director, Bruce Hodgson.
Using Tuscany-based artisans and local materials where possible, the company oversaw renovation works that took four years. Part of the project included merging smaller rooms to create this voluminous kitchen in the centre of the house, where it acts as the ‘engine room’, says Bruce.
One of the stipulations that informed the architecture was that a traditional inglenook fireplace spacious enough to cook porchetta (roast suckling pig) should be included. This involved running a flue under the main staircase that crosses the top of the kitchen — resulting in a vaulted ceiling from which hang two striking wagon wheel-style chandeliers from Ralph Lauren Home.
Much of the decorative interest comes from the wood used on the dresser and cabinetry — a mixture of local chestnut and oak, which has been bleached. For day-to-day cooking, a Wolf range was installed, with a surround of tiles in a glossy sage from Verona adding a splash of colour. An acid-etched zinc extractor, designed and made by Artichoke, adds an industrial feel.
‘We wanted the story behind the room to make it feel as if it had evolved over many centuries,’ adds Bruce.
The best interior designers in Britain
Of all the decorating trends that have been in vogue over the last 50 years – be it Scandi, Minimalism
Britain’s best interior designers on the paint colours you just can’t go wrong with
People across the country are using their time to decorate, and with the big companies still running delivery services you're likely
Beyond Instagram: London Design Week’s unparalleled breadth and depth will help you avoid ‘unhinged eclecticism’
Listening to the world’s greatest interior designers talk about their work is one of the best ways to get to
Inside the home of a top designer: Philippa Thorp’s Hampshire dream
Interior designer Philippa Thorp tells Arabella Youens about the transformation of her Grade II-listed house in Hampshire.
Creating a graceful, beautiful and above all cosy bathroom in a period house in Wiltshire
Emily Todhunter took a restrained approach to the decoration of her Wiltshire bathroom. She explained more to Arabella Youens.
