We spent all of October and most of November 2018 in the Lunigiana region of Tuscany, Italy. The project this time was to attempt to make a dent in the huge list of work to be done at a villa that was begun in the 12th Century. The current British owner has had tradesmen nibbling away at it for the last year-plus and it will be glorious once completed.
Here’s a visual sample of the villa, the tiny Tuscan village, and some of the work that was done during our time on site. ALSO — make sure to read the feedback on the Testimonials page that this client gave to Mark.
Villa Francini Del Prete in the Lunigiana region of Tuscany, Italy.
The elegant double-door entry with fanlight of the Villa Francini Del Prete in Fazzano, Lunigiana, Tuscany.
Fortunately, we had driven the van to Italy because it came in rather handy as Mark drove down the valley again and again and brought up plumbing materials, assorted hardware, and load after load of sacks containing render for the various projects ahead. None of those items were on site and ready for him when we arrived.
Parking on the sliver of gravel outside the Villa Francini Del Prete in Tuscany, Italy.
Mark made repairs on every level of the main villa that I have not included in this pictorial essay. Also, the client wanted Mark to focus most of his time on the conversion of a beautiful stone barn into the future conference and classroom building.
Barn conversion project at Villa Francini Del Prete in Fazzano, Tuscany.
A barn restoration project for Villa Francini Del Prete
From a downstairs area that had gravel floors and either rubble, terracotta blocks, or raw stone walls…
Barn conversion toilet cubicle in-progress at Villa Francini Del Prete in Tuscany, Italy.
Mark installed the plumbing pipes and drains, then rendered the floors and walls where needed while still retaining enough of the stone walls to create an authentic statement about the building’s origins.
Unrendered terracotta block wall in barn conversion.
Slowly but surely, the space began to come together — even when faced with challenges such as a total lack of electricity and the need to do rendering by the light of a portable LED lamp!
Rendering stone walls by electric torchlight.
Rendered walls
During the end of our time in November, Mark dove into the stash of architectural salvage doors that were leaning against a wall on the upstairs mezzanine. He repurposed two of the tall glass-panel French doors into a divider for the downstairs area of the future classroom and conference building.
Barn conversion salvaged doors and windows at Villa Francini Del Prete in Tuscany.
The wall render and floor concrete was still drying as we left. The barn conversion now awaits the owner’s next infusion of cash for electricity, tiling, and full finishing. But what a splendid place this will be to attend yoga classes or cooking demonstrations or wellness workshops in the future. We wish the owner much luck!
Mark Harmes working on a barn conversion project at the Villa Francini Del Prete in Tuscany, Italy.
Balcony view from the Villa Francini Del Prete in Fazzano, Lunigiana, Tuscany, Italy.
The villa is a series of wings and buildings, some joined by drive-under bridging sections, many of them unlived in for many decades, most of them crumbling, and some of them damaged by earthquakes in this highly tectonic region of Italy. A ramble through the village is certainly a pleasant opportunity for taking photos.
The villa has so many wings and attached buildings that it may take a lifetime to open them all back up and bring them back into use!
Walking up the lane towards the back of Villa Francini Del Prete in Fazzano, Lunigiana, Tuscany.
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