Villa Gelsomino was a typical Umbrian farmhouse with animal housing to the lower ground floor and half of the ground floor, with accommodation for the farmer and his family in the upper floors. The Villa was purchased in 2013 with a vision for refurbishing it to the highest standard to create a premium standard holiday property.
The style is authentically Italian with a cosmopolitan eye for detail and quality. Many original features of the villa have been sympathetically revealed alongside fresh walls with clean lines. Custom fitted kitchen units sit upon rustic ceramic tiles.
Locally sourced materials and craftsmanship have been used wherever possible, and energy efficient features have been included from the ground up – quite literally. Under floor water heating and cooling is installed throughout, complimented by conventional air conditioning units to provide energy efficient climate control. The original water well – a bore hole descending 62 metres into the Umbrian bedrock – provides fresh water for the property, and solar heating and electricity generation is planned for phase two of the development.
The photos below give an overview of the development. The diary below will allow you to follow the progress of the conversion from animal barn and farm house to a luxury 21st century villa.
- Structural Works
- Lower ground works
- Under-floor water heating and cooling
- Thermally conducting cement laid above the heating and then finished with locally made terracotta tiles
- Kitchen installation
- Master Bathroom
- Old animal house will be site of well
- Original brick tile ceilings
- Refurbished ceiling in lower ground entrance area
Latest entries in the Development Diary

