A reinvented villa at Lake Como

A villa with three phases

Baxter has named this year’s edit “Three Movements and a Villa,” a nod to how the house is staged in three separate phases as you move up through it. Natural light is used as living material and shows up differently depending on what area of the house one is in. It arrives straight down through skylights on the top floor, while it gets softened by heavy curtains a floor below. Garden paths, terraces and even a greenhouse are folded directly into the sequence of the house instead of being separate sections. So walking from one room to the next means passing through a stretch of wisteria or a bed of cacti. 

Climbing through colour

Upon entering, a metal-framed threshold marks the line between the kitchen and the living room, though the two spaces give each other away the moment the door opens. The kitchen island is carved from a single block of onyx, veined in honey and terracotta. The living room is filled with a sea of Mousse and Botanique greens as a faded green Viktor Soft sofa sits against the same terracotta accents seen in the kitchen. 

Ascending to the first floor, the suites and living areas move in a range of deep, dusty blues across walls, fabrics and furniture. The Ginerva bed is enclosed on three sides by dark navy curtains, dyed the same colour as the walls, which absorb and soften the light. The dining area centres on a large, light-coloured table with sculptural seating in soft contours, while a graphic wall motif cuts across the room.

On the top floor, the music room transforms into a suspended retreat as dusty orange is woven through soft fabrics and matte surfaces. The Adel pouffes and thick nuage rugs are built for curling up with a book or losing an afternoon to records. Integrated bookshelves run along the slope of the roof, forming a continuous backdrop that hoards books and vinyl records.

From the terrace, the path continues through the garden between the scent of rosemary and helichrysum, leading to the guest house. It is a mini apartment in itself with low seating and terracotta surfaces set against cacti, Mediterranean plants and hedges. The greenhouse catches light through its glass roof while the shelves along one wall hold a mix of objects and greenery. It functions as a living room in its own right. Even the walk to the pool, past the wisteria, opens out to chaise lounges gathered near the water in the same way. 

Warmth in friction

The villa leans towards a warm and autumnal palette throughout, with terracotta, rust, mustard and ochre carried through in chocolate leather and sun-worn textures. Even on the first floor, where blue dominates, burnt orange accents still show up in the furniture and tie the room back to the rest of the house. The outdoor furniture echoes the same rust and taupe tones as the indoor pieces, in Iroko wood and glazed ceramic. 

Materials are placed in constant friction with hard surfaces set against soft ones. An onyx surface beside a bouclé stool, while a lacquered metal armchair’s frame has a seat worked in mohair. Pattern is used sparingly, so when a single graphic wall or one patterned rug does appear, it stands out.

Whatever you fall for this year won’t be there next spring, presumably why some people are dismayed. But it also means there’s a whole new villa waiting, come next spring. 

Read More: Indulge in the elegance of Passalacqua for a perfect Italian summer at Lake Como