Like an outdoor living room

Just outside the city of Parma, where the picturesque hills give way to the agricultural land of the plain and the alternation of crops creates a distinctive, patterned landscape, stands an old farmhouse dating from the early twentieth century. Inhabited by a farming family, it was just one of the many rustic buildings of its kind to be found in the Emilian countryside. The property is dominated by olive trees, and indeed we can find a discussion of the development of olive growing in the area and its economic and cultural importance in a treatise dating from as early as the eighteenth century. The farmhouse itself, the heart of the property, stands on three levels, each of which conserves the old wood beams and ceiling tiles. Although the renovation project made every effort to remain faithful to the spirit of the site and the surrounding area, the former cowshed, barn and tool shed feature more modern elements such as the large windows and French doors which face onto the garden and allow natural light to flood into the interiors while offering splendid views. Typical of houses of this kind and from this period, the farmhouse has a large arcade with vaults and columns extending around a courtyard where a swimming pool and solarium have been built. The clients wanted this to be a pleasant, functional area, a place for leisure and relaxation that would be visually appealing and comfortable as well as resistant to the elements. The tiles chosen for the paving – in Grigio Misto (grey) and Rosso Misto (red) colours from the Pietre di Fanes collection by Panaria Ceramica – were installed in three different sizes to create a tough and easy-to-maintain surface that would also be perfectly integrated with the spirit of the context. The tiles reflect the colours of the materials (bricks and river stones) used for the original walls, and in this case the full-body porcelain reproduces the colours and timeless appeal of porphyry. The shades and grain of the natural stone were reproduced thanks to a special production process that melts the entire mass of materials without the addition of glazes. This creates a surface that varies from tile to tile, perfectly recreating the look of the pavings used on squares, courtyards, arcades and walkways while surpassing the original materials in terms of resistance, technical characteristics and durability. This paving extends around the entire residence, from the entrance driveway to the internal courtyard with the swimming pool. It is interrupted only by a few olive trees which the clients wanted to preserve and which, together with the walls of the house and the arches of the arcade, create a daily spectacle of shadows.