This 18th-Century Lake Como Villa Goes Contemporary With J. Mayer H.
Renovated by the German architectural firm, the picturesque property preserves much of its original construction while also embracing modern design elements.
German architectural firm J. Mayer H., famous for its renowned Metropol Parasol redesign of the Plaza de la Encarnacion in Seville, Spain, has just unveiled its latest renovation: a historic 18th-century villa on Lake Como, made new with modern design elements and an eclectic color scheme.
The home’s original facade was largely kept intact, with careful refinements and adjusted window frames to improve its overall construction. Much of the villa remains in its original color, while new awnings and green shutters offer a contemporary lift.
The garden, meanwhile, earned a complete redesign, with new regional green stones lining the pool, the installment of a large Tony Matelli sculpture and the addition of an all-new dock meant for larger boats. The grotto, too, now includes showers and changing rooms modeled after caves, as well as a fountain filled with water lilies and fish.
Inside the villa, existing surfaces and built-in furniture remain in their original forms, while new monochromatic paint jobs give each room a glossy, new-age look while spotlighting the home’s centuries-old signs of wear. Lakefront rooms boast lighter colors to complement the water’s deep-blue hues, while other spaces boast darker tones to create “calm, introverted retreats.” Notably, Parisian painter Matthieu Cossé crafted mirrored ceilings in two corner rooms, where the kitchen and study are located.
Explore J. Mayer H.’s renovated Lake Como villa in the gallery above.
