Historic estate in Italy gets an exquisite update

In Italy's Umbria region, Count Antonio Bolza, Countess Angelica Bolza and their architect son, Count Benedict, are renovating their large property, which includes 50 ancient farmhouses. There are plans to turn the castle into a small hotel. It may seem like a fairy tale, but in fact, it's all a reality in a place called Castello di Rescchio, which is located in the west of Umbria.

This work of perfection was not invented in some office, but created directly on site and by one family, the Bolts. Count Antonio Bolza, originally from Hungary but again Italian by choice, was previously in charge of business operations and his wife, Countess Angelica, is in charge of interior design. Their son, Earl Benedict, plus having an architectural background, also runs the business.

Although the Bolts had had a personal country home on the land since the mid-1980s, it was only a foreboding start to the whole long process in 1994. Restoring a newly reclaimed Selvatella house Benedict designed for an English family may seem standard, but in fact every detail here is a unique project. The estate was originally in an extremely precarious state and required a complete restructuring. This project can be characterized as a "building permit" as new construction is strictly limited in Umbria. However, if you limit yourself to the contours of the original building and use original materials, you have the freedom to be creative.

Benedict also had to solve certain problems related to the steep topography of the site. By properly positioning the base of the building, he was able to add additional space for a gym, game room, wine cellar and pool. The result is a first floor with a large entrance, living room, dining room and kitchen, each opening into the next through an archway, as well as space for guests.

Boltza carefully chooses materials, blending them with their surroundings. He uses oak wood for beamed ceilings, plaster walls and lime or mosaic flooring. The original farmhouse, where animals used to live on the first floor and farmers lived upstairs, lost its significance long ago, there is now a graceful staircase. The house is brighter due to the large number of windows. The interior, designed by local designers with the help of Monica Aponi in London, is modern and elegant, with practical and comfortable details, but also harmonizes with the surroundings.

As a permanent resident of Umbria, Count Benedict knows his job and the place where he works well, and this is evident in the homes he creates. They always have an outdoor dining area with a fireplace to light on chilly evenings. He prefers to surround pools with grass rather than stone slabs because grass keeps the pools cool and has a better environmental impact, and he uses trees to create shade. For example, when creating a tennis court, he made sure it was concealable from the view from the house or neighboring homes. He is doing his best to consider his location and feels grateful to belong to this amazing place where there is still much work to do for the future.