Nestled in the Upper Mantua countryside, among the rolling hills south of Lake Garda, Lit Studio has designed the interiors of a private property that interprets living as a synthesis of experiences, memories, and cultural influences. The project transforms the language of travel into a spatial narrative, shaped through materials, colours, and details that evoke distant places while maintaining an authentic dialogue with the surrounding rural landscape and local architecture.
The commission stemmed from the clients' desire—both passionate travellers—to create a home that reflected their personal journey. The property comprises the main residence and a rural guesthouse, which has been completely renovated and reimagined as two independent guest suites. Each apartment includes a living area with a kitchenette, a double bedroom, and a bathroom, while expressing its own distinct design identity.
"Our goal was not to replicate places or styles, but to translate emotions and experiences into a contemporary living environment. Every design decision was driven by the desire to create spaces with a unique identity, capable of telling a story without compromising functionality," explain Rudy Faissal and Riccardo Boccia, founders of Lit Studio.
The project is built around a restrained colour palette defined by two key tones: sage green, originally introduced to comply with local landscape regulations governing the window frames, and a warm beige selected by the clients. These colours become the foundation of a cohesive visual language that runs throughout the interiors, strengthening the relationship between architecture, interior design, and the surrounding environment.
The two guest suites interpret the theme of travel through contrasting atmospheres.
On the ground floor, the interiors draw inspiration from North Africa, and particularly from Marrakech, a city especially cherished by the owners. Warm hues, textured surfaces, and materials such as glazed zellige tiles, cocciopesto, and lime-based finishes create fluid, welcoming spaces conceived in continuity with the outdoors, recalling the spatial organisation of Mediterranean architecture.
The upper floor embraces a more restrained and contemporary aesthetic, inspired by Milanese and Northern European design. The existing timber roof structure is paired with resin flooring and a palette enriched with accents of yellow and blue alongside sage green and beige, offering a cleaner, more minimal interpretation of the same material language introduced downstairs.
Colour plays a structural role throughout the project, guiding visitors through the spaces while creating continuity between interior and exterior. Sage green extends beyond the window frames to walls and bespoke furniture, establishing a recognisable visual identity and reinforcing the connection with the surrounding landscape.
Particular attention was devoted to the bathrooms, conceived as independent spaces with a strong architectural character. Distinct geometries, materials, and finishes define two different identities while remaining fully consistent with the overall design concept.
Another defining feature is the collection of objects gathered by the owners during their travels. What began as a technical necessity related to the building services evolved into a design opportunity: a series of built-in niches integrated into the architecture. Conceived as a domestic gallery, these display spaces allow the objects to become part of the home's evolving narrative rather than mere decorative elements.
"We wanted to create a home capable of embracing memories, not simply displaying them. These objects become part of the architecture and tell the story of the people who inhabit these spaces, while allowing the design itself to remain the true protagonist," conclude Faissal and Boccia.
The result is a project that combines material research, chromatic balance, and meticulous attention to detail within a design vision that interprets travel as a way of inhabiting space. Local identity and international influences coexist naturally, creating interiors that are authentic, contemporary, and deeply personal.
