My Houzz: A 13th Century House Given a Light, Modern Update
This unusual building has been turned into an airy home thanks to white walls, natural materials and plenty of textiles
Brunella Guida’s house is in the historical heart of Matera, Italy, which is known as ‘Sassi’ – meaning ‘rocks’ – to the locals. The ‘Sassi di Matera’ was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993, and this part of the city will be the centre of attention when Matera becomes the European Capital of Culture in 2019.
Guida bought her house in 1998 and worked passionately to renovate it over a period of two years. With plenty of natural light and large spaces, it’s a place she likes to come back to as often as she can.
Guida bought her house in 1998 and worked passionately to renovate it over a period of two years. With plenty of natural light and large spaces, it’s a place she likes to come back to as often as she can.
The houses in the Sassi di Matera were originally inexpensive, versatile and sustainable, because they were dug into the rock itself and built with local resources. Over time, they’ve been recovered and reutilised, sometimes in new ways.
For Brunalla Guida, renovating the house meant accepting the complexities that come with an 800-year-old structure and life in the Sassi di Matera. Though she did hire a contractor, primarily to deal with the bureaucratic aspects of the renovation, she conceptualised, designed and carried out most of the project herself. She closed some windows, turned others into doors, and made new hydraulic and electric systems and a new bathroom.
Guida loves eclecticism, so she wanted to create a varied ambiance with a style that can’t be strictly defined. So her house isn’t distinctly rural, modern or traditional, but rather a mixture of all three.
Everything here is rooted in Guida’s personal taste and inspiration from her travels. She brought a lot from her previous house in Rome and bought very few new things. Even more importantly, her own acquisitions are interspersed with presents from friends from all over the world.
For Brunalla Guida, renovating the house meant accepting the complexities that come with an 800-year-old structure and life in the Sassi di Matera. Though she did hire a contractor, primarily to deal with the bureaucratic aspects of the renovation, she conceptualised, designed and carried out most of the project herself. She closed some windows, turned others into doors, and made new hydraulic and electric systems and a new bathroom.
Guida loves eclecticism, so she wanted to create a varied ambiance with a style that can’t be strictly defined. So her house isn’t distinctly rural, modern or traditional, but rather a mixture of all three.
Everything here is rooted in Guida’s personal taste and inspiration from her travels. She brought a lot from her previous house in Rome and bought very few new things. Even more importantly, her own acquisitions are interspersed with presents from friends from all over the world.
Guida’s favourite space – and the one she uses the most – is the entrance hall/living space with its three sofas. She can keep an eye on everything in the house from this central position.
During the renovation, Guida realised that a consistent lighting system would be crucial in this wide, high-vaulted space. She consulted architect Alessandra Bia on installing sculptural lighting pieces, such as one in this room from Catellani & Smith (see the metal disc lamp in the first photo).
Neutral colours dominate in the interior. In the foreground, an old chest acquired at the Porta Portese flea market in Rome welcomes visitors. The flooring is old, refinished terracotta tiles.
Is this item the unsung hero of interiors?
During the renovation, Guida realised that a consistent lighting system would be crucial in this wide, high-vaulted space. She consulted architect Alessandra Bia on installing sculptural lighting pieces, such as one in this room from Catellani & Smith (see the metal disc lamp in the first photo).
Neutral colours dominate in the interior. In the foreground, an old chest acquired at the Porta Portese flea market in Rome welcomes visitors. The flooring is old, refinished terracotta tiles.
Is this item the unsung hero of interiors?
The large living room is organised into three zones. In the first, there’s a big, minimalist fireplace, which Guida uses often in winter. Along the wall is a shelf consisting of a grey-white stone lying atop bricks made of tuff (a rock formed of volcanic ash).
“This stone was the best deal I got when furnishing the house,” Guida says. “It comes from India, and I got it for free. I went to Gorgoglione, a little village in the Basilicata region [where Matera is also located] that is famous for stone caves, though most of the stone there has been coming from India in the past few years. The people who gave me this stone were about to throw it away, since they thought the fossils visible on the surface were a defect. It was a great deal, and I also really like it.”
“This stone was the best deal I got when furnishing the house,” Guida says. “It comes from India, and I got it for free. I went to Gorgoglione, a little village in the Basilicata region [where Matera is also located] that is famous for stone caves, though most of the stone there has been coming from India in the past few years. The people who gave me this stone were about to throw it away, since they thought the fossils visible on the surface were a defect. It was a great deal, and I also really like it.”
One of the three sofas (seen in the first photo) is vintage, dating back to the 1960s. It belonged to Guida’s grandmother and has now been reupholstered in purple fabric.
The same fabric was used on the two armchairs in the dining room – the corner of the house Guida loves the most – next to a painting her father bought, which holds a lot of sentimental value.
The same fabric was used on the two armchairs in the dining room – the corner of the house Guida loves the most – next to a painting her father bought, which holds a lot of sentimental value.
In the centre of the dining room is a 2.8m-long table – a larger copy of the Frate table by Driade – that was custom-made by Riccardo Torchi, Guida’s ex-boyfriend. Indian chairs from Oltrefrontiera stand around the table, and terracotta pendant lamps hang above it.
A niche in the wall has been outfitted with cherry shelves and flip-up and pocket doors. It stores dinnerware.
A niche in the wall has been outfitted with cherry shelves and flip-up and pocket doors. It stores dinnerware.
The ‘chill corner’ features a sofa for reading and relaxing. It was, once again, made by Torchi, who loves DIY. It’s a simple piece topped with large cushions, which were handmade in Matera with fabric from Morocco. There are metal lamps, also from Morocco, on the wall.
Guida has added a variety of heart- and angel-shaped items throughout the house. In this room, there’s a rare piece of furniture that suits the theme: the Angelo Necessario (Necessary Angel) bookcase by Paolo Pallucco and Mireille Rivier.
Guida has added a variety of heart- and angel-shaped items throughout the house. In this room, there’s a rare piece of furniture that suits the theme: the Angelo Necessario (Necessary Angel) bookcase by Paolo Pallucco and Mireille Rivier.
A vertical pocket planter hangs on the other side of the wall.
A Balinese sideboard is topped with an eclectic vignette. The two paintings above it, by a young artist from Altamura, represent balance and strength, respectively.
Next to the sideboard, a door leads to the office – Guida’s workspace (not pictured). From there, a hallway leads to the two bedrooms. The one that once belonged to her son Giorgio, who no longer lives with her, has been turned into a guest space that includes a bedroom mezzanine.
7 genius tips to steal from 2017’s most popular hallway stories
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In this room, Guida has a custom-made wooden wall closet, a futon, an ottoman that can convert into a single or double bed, and a small double bed. It is pure functionality with a touch of aesthetics. A beautiful floor lamp from Palluco is an interesting touch.
The second bedroom is Guida’s. The large closet is also Torchi’s work, and features sliding doors. All the furniture in this room is on wheels. The bed is made from beams recovered from a construction site. There’s a covered drawer underneath. The mattress, made of coconut leaves and cotton, is Japanese. The embroidered blanket belonged to Guida’s grandmother; the sheets are linen.
A ladder – the kind used for picking olives – leads to a small area that serves as a storage space.
This room is the only one that’s almost completely inside the cave, so it’s really cool in summer.
This room is the only one that’s almost completely inside the cave, so it’s really cool in summer.
Guida loves to blend different styles. This wardrobe, which used to belong to her grandmother, is a good example. It’s been restored and decorated with vintage hardware she found in Formentera.
The windows throughout the house have beautiful views of the Sassi di Matera and its system of courtyards, which Matera locals refer to as ‘vicinati’. Two terraces decorated with plants and flowers embellish the house.
Guida has an obsession: she buys miniature houses in countries she visits, to feel as if she has a house in every part of the world. This love for other cultures and eclectic influences that plays out so quaintly in this decorative collection lives large in the home she has painstakingly curated for herself amid the relics of 13th century Italy.
What do you think of this ancient home? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
What do you think of this ancient home? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Who lives here Life and business coach Brunella Guida
Location Matera, Rione Vetera district, southern Italy
Size 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Year built Around 1200
Year renovated 1998-2000
Photos by Pierangelo Laterza