The Farmhouse at La Segreta was initially 3 individual, small buildings of humble means. Originally home to a local family who operated the "trebbia" where they would thresh the grain/wheat for themselves and local farmers here in our village in Umbria.
Later on, it was subdivided into small apartments. The largest building was further divided into 4 mini -apartments. Low ceilings, miniscule bathrooms and 2nd-floor attic bedrooms that were not up to code, nor accessible to anyone over 4 feet tall.
We chose to eliminate the 2nd floors and create high ceilings and an open floor plan, not well-known in our small village. One, large professional kitchen, spacious private bathrooms and individual terraces for each bedroom. We took some of the square footage from the 2nd floor and used it to create a living space off of the kitchen and dining. In addition, we created a large outdoor terrace (with no robbing of the square footage). We created an outdoor cook-fireplace and large dining area which becomes an extension of the living space.
The living room has extra-wide glass doors on 3 sides. Modern conveniences such as retractable mosquito screens on all doors and windows, air conditioning throughout, heated towel racks in all bathrooms, wifi thoughout.
We chose the classic local materials of walnut, river stone, hand plastered walls and iron doors and paired them with resin floors and countertops. Cement tiles on key walls in entrances and bathrooms. (We prefer cement tiles on accent walls and they are also appropriate for wet areas--we do not use them on floors-they just stain too easily.)
Below the house is a large pool clad in local sandstone and the back yard has a bocce court for evening games.
Material Used :
1. Facade cladding: local stone and plaster
2. Flooring: terracotta tiles from Castel Viscardo, Resin flooring by Marcello Gavioli, River stone inlay from our local stones.
3. Cement tiles: Mosaic del Sur and Bizazza
4. Doors and windows: made locally
5. Roofing: terracotta tiles, locally made
6. Interior lighting: Thorn, Artemide,
7. Interior Furniture: Knoll, Emu/Paola Navone, Eames, Gervasoni, Ilve professional stove, Hem, OGO, Ethimo and locally made beds, tables and iron work.
