Casa Morelli — Chianti, Italy
The Chianti region has long gripped the imagination of travellers, oenophiles and flaneurs, as much for its sense of idyllic escapism as its seemingly endless green vistas. All the more reason to seize the opportunity for an extended retreat in this three-bedroom bolthole in Radda.
In the midst of a vast sweep of vineyards, olive groves and oak forests, Munich-based architect Walter Petri has linked a restored two-storey, 15th-century farmhouse with a new-build to create a sleek modern retreat that nevertheless feels as if it’s always been part of the landscape.
Credit, especially, to interiors studio Holzrausch for walking that fine line between rustic Tuscan tropes and a contemporary read of countryside élan, a balancing act that is quietly articulated in the antique oak floors paired with travertine walls, kitchen and showers lined in Cotto stone, Klaus Lichtenegger-designed tables and chairs, and customised lamps.
The view of the countryside from the living room – whose wide sliding doors open to a stone-clad terrace – is a showstopper, and whilst the fully equipped kitchen encourages communal cooking and meals (there’s even a full sized Berkel slicing machine), the neighbouring winery Brancaia, a short walk away, offers a comforting menu of pastas and grilled meats and vegetables.
ADDRESS
53017 Radda Chianti
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Daven Wu is the Singapore Editor at Wallpaper*. A former corporate lawyer, he has been covering Singapore and the neighbouring South-East Asian region since 1999, writing extensively about architecture, design, and travel for both the magazine and website. He is also the City Editor for the Phaidon Wallpaper* City Guide to Singapore.
-
A revamped Edinburgh apartment combines Californian-style modernism with modern craft
Archer + Braun have transformed an apartment in a historic house with finely tuned contemporary additions and sympathetic attention to detail
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Formafantasma’s biodiversity-boosting installation in a Perrier Jouët vineyard is cross-pollination at its best
Formafantasma and Perrier Jouët unveil the first project in their ‘Cohabitare’ initiative, ‘not only a work of art but also a contribution to the ecosystem’
By Henrietta Thompson Published
-
Gingerbread City: architects sculpt London out of the season's favourite treat
Until December 29 in Chelsea, see London brought to life in a seasonal-appropriate medium by leading architects and designers
By Ellen Himelfarb Published
-
Tour a new Sardinian hotel hidden among sand dunes
Hotel Le Dune Piscinas is a cosy five-star boutique resort surrounded by the untamed natural beauty of Sardinia’s Costa Verde
By Ifeoluwa Adedeji Published
-
The world’s most enticing new hotel openings
Explore the best new hotels in the world, from beachfront living at Cheval Blanc Seychelles to otherworldly Zaha Hadid architecture at Me Malta
By Nicola Leigh Stewart Last updated
-
2,734 metres above the sea, a northern Italian hotel ensures peak happiness
Designed by Senoner Tammerle Architekten, hotel Santnerpass Hütte offers the perfect off-grid retreat amid a Unesco-protected landscape
By John Weich Published
-
Retreat to Lecce’s reborn Palazzo Zimara, a baroque gem from 1557
Architect Raffaele Centonze transforms the 16th-century Palazzo Zimara into an 18-room boutique hotel in the historic city centre
By Andrew Wasserstein Published
-
Stella D'Italia is a Renaissance haven that tells a story of Florence
Stella D’Italia is the Florentine boutique escape by local hoteliers Matteo Perduca and Betty Soldi to know
By Melina Keays Published
-
Experience Cardo Roma, the contemporary Roman holiday you didn’t know you needed
Cardo Roma, the inaugural property of Cardo Hotels, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s Autograph Collection, caters to those seeking to merge business and pleasure
By Tianna Williams Published
-
La Pergola, one of Rome’s most coveted reservations, gets a sumptuous renovation
Jouin Manku re-envisions La Pergola, the acclaimed restaurant atop Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel
By Hannah Walhout Published
-
Surrender to these six swim-perfect outdoor hotel pools
Discover the best outdoor hotel pools, from Amankila’s aquatic triptych by Ed Tuttle to Nicolas Party’s swimmable artwork at Le Sirenuse
By Sofia de la Cruz Published