Villa Abruzzo

Controguerra, Abruzzo, Italy
6 guests
3 bedrooms
3 bathrooms

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Luxe Living: A property with a high level of craftsmanship in architecture and design, as well as comfort.

Villa: A standalone house with a pool

Coastal: At land’s end, on the water’s edge

Palm-Tree-Accented Mid-Century Modern Meets Italian Olive Grove

The private residence of the celebrated Berlin-based architect Davide Rizzo, this bungalow, inspired by California mid-century modern, offers a captivating departure from the typical. With its tightly horizontal, fieldstone-clad exterior, its palm-accented light wells and architectural openings, and its rich, walnut interiors layered with shades of jade, it is reminiscent of the best of Palm Springs, circa 1959.

Enchanting Shades of Jade

Its linear planes and angling roofline peeking above a sea of olives and grapevines, punctuated by swords of cypress and giant palm fronds, this delightfully unexpected stone villa makes a statement in the fertile hills above the Adriatic, with the Gran Sasso’s ridges as backdrop. The one-of-a-kind design has been lauded in Elle Décor, Condé Nast Traveler, Architektur & Wohnen and Welt, with lifestyle features in W and Corriere della Sera Living.

The 1950s-inspired bungalow of architect Davide Rizzo, whose interior design clients read like a celebrity Who’s Who, with institutions like New York’s Metropolitan Opera thrown in, the residence merges beautifully into the lush landscape, despite its dramatic departure from the region’s vernacular.

The 24-acre property is a working olive farm, though its three bedrooms and rectilinear, open living areas are decidedly urban in styling. It is accented with elegant, period-inspired accessories, fixtures, and art pieces, many of which were created by Rizzo himself. A projecting roofline is cut with openings for palm trees and skylights. Rich walnut paneling lines the walls and locally sourced marble spreads across floors and terraces. Shades of jade dominate the otherwise neutral color palette, the deep green decor found in lamps, ceramics, cushions, tables, linens and abundant plant life, plus the jewel-toned infinity pool that runs the length of the house, melding with the horizon and spilling over a wall flanked with vines.

Around

The villa is located in Controguerra, a small town in Italy’s Abruzzo region, a wild, fertile landscape known for its wine and olive oil production. The Adriatic Sea can be seen from the villa, as can the mountains of the Gran Sasso range. Beaches nearby include Alba Adriatica (10 minutes) and the Conero Beaches (less than an hour), and charming historical hilltop villages are also easily accessible from the property.

Aquaviva Picena (20 minutes) is an archeological site, home of the fortress of the Dukes of Acquaviva, a massive, medieval fort, and the village also has an artisanal tradition of straw basket weaving, with makers' shops open to the public. The Gran Sasso and Monte della Laga National Park is about an hour’s drive from the home, with rugged mountains to explore on foot, cycle or skis, the wide open Campo Imperatore offering an exhilarating destination for horseback riding, and the National Park comprising one of the most biodiverse areas in all of Europe. There are some 300 kilometers of marked trails in the park, as well as waterways for canoeing and kayaking, and three different mountain ranges with a glacier, ski resorts, mountaineering and rock climbing spots.

The nearby village of Ascoli Piceno’s splendorous Renaissance square is only 15 minutes from the home by car, and the palm-lined promenade in Grottammare is reachable in 20 minutes.