Houzz Tour: Italian Stone Tower Gets Ready for the Beach
A onetime dovecote turns into a cedar-covered crash pad for trips to the sea
Sabrina Sciama
February 18, 2018
This small tower is part of a lush property that has been handed down from generation to generation in this Roman family since the 15th century. The most recent generation had little interest in the structure until their parents carried out a radical transformation. When it became a place to crash after trips to the nearby beach, it quickly became a favorite spot.
“After” photos by Gianluca Adami and Pasquale Comegna; “before” photos from Riccardo Caracciolo Design & Services
House at a Glance
Who lives here: The 25-year-old sons of the family
Location: Maremma Laziale, on the western coast of Italy
Size: Three levels, with 108 square feet (10 square meters) per level
Designers: Riccardo Caracciolo Design & Services
(architecture) and Verdella Caracciolo de Benedictis (interior design)
Abandoned since the 1970s, the small tower now features a footbridge that connects it to the main house. Architect Riccardo Caracciolo renovated both structures, turning this small outbuilding into a separate beach house — a great place for the owner’s two sons to gather with their friends.
House at a Glance
Who lives here: The 25-year-old sons of the family
Location: Maremma Laziale, on the western coast of Italy
Size: Three levels, with 108 square feet (10 square meters) per level
Designers: Riccardo Caracciolo Design & Services
(architecture) and Verdella Caracciolo de Benedictis (interior design)
Abandoned since the 1970s, the small tower now features a footbridge that connects it to the main house. Architect Riccardo Caracciolo renovated both structures, turning this small outbuilding into a separate beach house — a great place for the owner’s two sons to gather with their friends.
Before. The property is hundreds of years old, but the tower was built in 1950. It was used as a dovecote for breeding doves and pigeons until it fell into disuse. The load-bearing walls were sturdy, but the attic and roofing were not.
The outside walls were made of tuff, an igneous rock that is readily available and inexpensive in this area, which spans southern Tuscany and northern Lazio. However, tuff is porous, can be damaged by humidity and isn’t much to look at. So the designers decided to cover the tower with cedar.
The outside walls were made of tuff, an igneous rock that is readily available and inexpensive in this area, which spans southern Tuscany and northern Lazio. However, tuff is porous, can be damaged by humidity and isn’t much to look at. So the designers decided to cover the tower with cedar.
The tuff structure was then strengthened from the inside with reinforced plaster, and wood-fiber panels were inserted between the original tuff stonework and the new beadboard finish on the inside. It also got a new copper roof.
After. The project took eight months and cost about $122,700 (100,000 euros). Now that it’s done, it’s hard to recall what the building looked like before.
The tower has a small bathroom and a changing room on the ground floor. This partition, which the designers made from driftwood, conceals the electric water heater.
The kitchen is on the second floor. The basic dimensions are the only thing left of the original house; everything else has been totally reconfigured and reinterpreted.
Ceramic artist Nicoletta Gualdi created the majolica tiles for the kitchen. She makes new majolica pieces for each project she works on, taking inspiration from old models.
Because of the limited space, the designers in charge of the renovation had most of the furniture made to order. Interior designer Verdella Caracciolo de Benedictis selected many of the decorative items after extensive searches.
Stairs with wooden steps lead from the kitchen to a small living room-bedroom. The kitchen flooring is sand-colored resin.
The stairs connecting the second and third stories are the same color as the floor on the third story. The paneling and ceiling are lacquered fir.
The floor on the third story is also lacquered fir. This little room serves as a living room — with the television mounted in the corner — and a place for afternoon naps. The actual bedrooms are in the main house.
Ottomans: Bell + Bolla + Corallo collection, Gervasoni
Ottomans: Bell + Bolla + Corallo collection, Gervasoni
The architect decided to lift the living area floor about 8 feet above the ground so that it would float among the treetops. The teak footbridges are supported by simple larch poles carefully placed so as not to disturb the existing greenery.
The balustrades are made from driftwood too.
Given the very limited size of the building, life takes place mostly outside. Three terraces serve different purposes: as a lunch area, a solarium and a place to entertain guests. A footbridge leads to the main house, while the sea can be reached through a path hidden in the brush.
Over time, the untreated wood will develop a patina and blend in with the natural environment.
Swing chair: Evelyn, Sika Design; browse similar chairs
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More home tours: Apartments | Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | All
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very cool.
Well done - love the design and the finishes. The kitchen tile is my favorite!
Italian Stone Tower, sounds like a war machine in medieval times. Awesome work on the redesign!