In the landscape of the Apulian countryside, nestled among fields of cherry trees and wheat is Casa Caroseno, a rural villa built in the late 1950s. Built by the family’s grandparents, Casa Caroseno was originally a retreat where they could relax after a long day’s work in the fields. Despite the difficulties it has gone through over the years, the affection and excitement attached to this place prompted the family to restore it with love and care, giving it new life.
Today, Casa Caroseno is not just a guest house, but an immersive experience in the heart of Puglia, where every corner tells a story of passion, tradition and rebirth.The project was developed between the renovation of the existing main body, the creation of a newly built depandance volume and the whole system of paths, greenery and swimming pool surrounding the villa’s preexisting tuff walls.
The main structure, which was presented in an anonymous style that was not in keeping with the genius loci, was redesigned on all its fronts. A portico was introduced on the main facade, a kind of narthex that welcomes guests by creating a transitional space between inside and outside, typical of Apulian architectural culture.
The main villa consists of a living room with access from the front porch, two bedrooms, two bathrooms and an eat-in kitchen area. The depandance with its pitched roof, a citation of the typical “cummerse” of the Itria Valley, is presented as a minimal space formed by a single room where there is a pleasant convivial dining area to which is attached an appendix on the right that contains the services dedicated to catering, kitchen with ovens and stone fireplaces. The material choices follow a language linked to the territory, but at the same time contemporary, through the use of plaster and earthenware with clay colors and natural materials such as stone and wood for the finishes.
For the furnishings, the choice was based on the selection of vintage design pieces referring to the years when the villa was built; such as the table by Gianfranco Frattini for Bernini, the occasional tables by Afra and Tobia Scarpa, or even the sofa and chairs, also from the same period, but of northern European make. Inside the garden, curated by Studio Paz, the seasons follow one another through the expression of typical local tree species, and there is also a swimming pool, around which a system of walkways and relaxation areas has been built.