Three Italian Residences | Virtus Design

When I was living in Italy I had the good fortune to be involved with some renovation projects in Milan, Venice and the Chianti region outside of Florence. These photos, which are part of a service by AD Italia, show a few of the rooms and the exterior of the Florentine villa--which was once an orphanage. The challenge was to retain the rustic character of the place while making it comfortable and welcoming to a large, busy family. The venetian apartment is part of one of the four Mocenigo palaces on the Grand Canal. It provided a unique opportunity to work with local craftsmen, especially the terrazzo flooring which is a specialty of Venice. Milan is a charming city, filled with rather austere, Hapsburgian buildings with beautiful, hidden courtyards. This small apartment, built under the eaves of a 19th century apartment house, reflects the private, cosy nature of its inhabitants.