INSPIRING
After a lifetime of travelling the globe, one couple finally found their happy place in the Italian countryside. But first they had to transform it from uninspiring bungalow to modern family home perfectly at ease with its stunning surroundings…
HOME PROFILE
WHO LIVES HERE
Anna van Veen, a flight attendant, her husband Klaas, a pilot, their two grown-up daughters, Laura and Carmen, and boxer dog Zora THE PROPERTY A 1970s single-storey house with three bedrooms, overlooking Lake Bracciano in Trevignano, near Rome
ENTRANCE
A vintage rattan lounge chair and bamboo daybed are positioned to take in the awe-inspiring lake view
Overlooking a lake in the hills of Bracciano Natural Park near Rome, stood a dark and characterless 1970s bungalow, just waiting to be revived. And as soon as they saw it, that’s exactly what Anna and Klaas van Veen, a flight attendant and pilot at KLM, decided to do.
‘We found the house by chance thanks to an online advertisement,’ says Anna. ‘A British couple had lived here, and no one realised it was for sale.’ Less than a week after viewing it, they’d bought the property and set about a renovation, giving free rein to Hanne Poli, a Norwegian interior designer they’d known and admired for a long time, and trusted to create a home that would respect its surroundings.
‘It was a radical transformation,’ says Hanne. ‘The only part we kept of the original property was the external walls. We redid the rest of the house from top to bottom, reconfiguring the interior layout and giving it a new feel by adding large windows in all of the rooms.’ The property now comprises three bedrooms, three bathrooms and a large open-plan living room and kitchen with windows looking out to the hills and lake. ‘What could be better than starting the day sipping a cup of coffee on the sofa with these stunning views to enjoy?’ says Anna.
Initially the couple bought the property as a holiday home, but their plan is to move here permanently. ‘After living in Amsterdam and travelling the world for work, we have finally found our happy place in Italy,’ explains Anna. ‘It’s the ideal spot for us, barely an hour’s drive from Rome and the airport. We’ve been coming to the lake for several years and never get bored with it.’
Keen to make the property as sustainable as possible, Hanne ensured the walls and windows were well insulated and incorporated underfloor heating and solar panels on the roof. She then softened the modern architecture and sleek glass with wooden pergolas. ‘We used the same floor tiles indoors and out to create a sense of flow bet
