Houzz Tours
Italian Houzz: Historical Home Combines Medieval and Mid-Century
Modern design perfectly complements a medieval structure in this one-of-a-kind watchtower retreat in Umbria
On a hill not far from the town of Todi in Umbria, Italy, stands the Torre Almonte, a lookout tower that dates back to the 12th century. It is surrounded by a private park and an olive grove with more than 180 trees. This 25-metre-high structure was enlarged in the late 14th century so that it could be used as housing; today it serves as tourist accommodation. It is owned by Enrico Menestò, a medievalist, and his wife, architect Raffaella Maria Gabetta, who oversaw its renovation. Gabetta selected decor that would give the place a more contemporary style, and create a unique blend of historical and modern: within the medieval structure, antique furniture is successfully combined with modern design icons and pieces by local artisans.
The tower has five floors, which can be accessed conveniently by an elevator that was added in 2003. On the ground floor there is a big living room, a kitchen and a reading room; the second floor houses Menestò’s private library, which is open to academic researchers only.
The 18th-19th century partitioning of the other floors was maintained. There are suites on the third floor, and apartments – each of which includes two double rooms, two bathrooms, a living room and a kitchen – on the fourth and fifth.
Pictured here is the large living room on the ground floor, with its vaulted ceiling. The furniture against the wall is juxtaposed against the table in the middle of the room, which was made by a local craftsman out of an oak beam from the tower itself. The leather chairs by mid-century modern designer Marcel Breuer complement the rest of the decor.
Here, as in the majority of the rooms, beige and brown tones dominate. The only touch of colour is in the painting on the wall.
The 18th-19th century partitioning of the other floors was maintained. There are suites on the third floor, and apartments – each of which includes two double rooms, two bathrooms, a living room and a kitchen – on the fourth and fifth.
Pictured here is the large living room on the ground floor, with its vaulted ceiling. The furniture against the wall is juxtaposed against the table in the middle of the room, which was made by a local craftsman out of an oak beam from the tower itself. The leather chairs by mid-century modern designer Marcel Breuer complement the rest of the decor.
Here, as in the majority of the rooms, beige and brown tones dominate. The only touch of colour is in the painting on the wall.
This is one of the rooms on the third floor, a white suite with an area of about 90 square metres. The king-size bed is the only antique piece of furniture in the room – the other design elements give the space a touch of modernity. “I love Nordic and Danish design. I chose chandeliers by Slamp and chairs by Kartell,” Gabetta says.
The flooring in the whole tower is terracotta tile, except on the second floor, where white travertine has been used instead. “I restored or significantly changed the flooring only when I found serious damage,” Gabetta says.
Wooden beams and terracotta tiles give character to this room’s ceiling.
Ginetta chandelier, designed by Nigel Coates: Slamp; Victoria Ghost chairs: Philippe Starck for Kartell
The flooring in the whole tower is terracotta tile, except on the second floor, where white travertine has been used instead. “I restored or significantly changed the flooring only when I found serious damage,” Gabetta says.
Wooden beams and terracotta tiles give character to this room’s ceiling.
Ginetta chandelier, designed by Nigel Coates: Slamp; Victoria Ghost chairs: Philippe Starck for Kartell
A detail of a third floor hallway outside the white suite
The other suite on the third floor is the Red Suite, named after the masterpiece on the wall, Signora Rossa (’Red Lady’), by modern artist Alessandra Pierelli. “The velvet dress expresses sumptuousness and gives the ancient interior an elegant touch. Additionally, an old iron bed found in a local market has been modified to become sofa.”
This is the 50-square-metre living room on the fourth floor. “The old dresser is a family heirloom, while the sandstone chimney dates back to the twelfth century. The Wassily chairs by Marcel Breuer are a tribute to the Bauhaus period.”
Every door in the tower is original. “They belong to different periods spanning from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries. For this reason, they are made of varying shades of wood.”
One of the most challenging aspects of the renovation was the lighting: “The beams get in the way, so the lighting was by no means easy. To provide harmonious light, I used steel cables to secure LED fixtures. In some areas, I chose floor lamps for a decorative feel.”
Every door in the tower is original. “They belong to different periods spanning from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries. For this reason, they are made of varying shades of wood.”
One of the most challenging aspects of the renovation was the lighting: “The beams get in the way, so the lighting was by no means easy. To provide harmonious light, I used steel cables to secure LED fixtures. In some areas, I chose floor lamps for a decorative feel.”
The living room on the fifth floor has another old sandstone chimney, and the decor is a tribute to Le Corbusier, featuring his famous sofa. Pictures from a calendar by Pietro Orazio give the unfinished wall a touch of colour.
The lighting for this room consists of built-in fixtures. It was possible to do this because the ceiling needed to be renovated anyway, since the original stone structure wasn’t stable and had cracks on the surface. Gabetta reinforced it by first creating a metal skeleton, then injecting resin in cracks and between the stones to give them added stability and finally securing them with wire mesh.
“The spaces are fluid and liveable, and even though they are huge, you have the feeling that everything is within arm’s reach. Family heirlooms on the one hand and designer furniture on the other make this house warm and comfortable,” says photographer Francesca Pagliai. “The tower, isolated in the countryside and exposed to light on each side, is very bright, adding the element of spectacular light in each room.”
LC2 couch: designed by Le Corbusier for Cassina
The lighting for this room consists of built-in fixtures. It was possible to do this because the ceiling needed to be renovated anyway, since the original stone structure wasn’t stable and had cracks on the surface. Gabetta reinforced it by first creating a metal skeleton, then injecting resin in cracks and between the stones to give them added stability and finally securing them with wire mesh.
“The spaces are fluid and liveable, and even though they are huge, you have the feeling that everything is within arm’s reach. Family heirlooms on the one hand and designer furniture on the other make this house warm and comfortable,” says photographer Francesca Pagliai. “The tower, isolated in the countryside and exposed to light on each side, is very bright, adding the element of spectacular light in each room.”
LC2 couch: designed by Le Corbusier for Cassina
At the top of the tower lies a large, almost 200-square-metre terrace. It is open on each side and offers stunning views of the hill. This space has been decorated with outdoor furniture made by local craftsmen. Besides chaise lounges and barbecue equipment, there is a large table that can seat up to 12 people.
Houzz at a Glance
Location: Todi, Umbria, Italy
Size: The tower sits on 2 hectares of land. The structure itself has an area of about 700 square metres, spread over five floors, each measuring 130 square metres
Year built: Twelfth century
Renovated: Between the 1990s and 2005
Architect: Raffaella Maria Gabetta
That’s interesting: Rooms, suites or even the whole tower can be booked here.
The building was listed in 1954, so the structure was not altered in the renovation. “I renovated the tower without adding any new elements to the original structure. I didn’t create a historical fake: I just modified that which had been ruined by the flow of time,” Gabetta says.