Exceptional refurbishments
A church in a little Basque village transformed into a contemporary home with all mod cons… A former windmill converted to a stunning primary residence or holiday home… These are just a couple of examples of ambitious refurbishments undertaken to create some truly unique homes and workplaces. With the help of a good architect or interior designer, the possibilities for property refurbishment are endless, and often result in truly breath-taking examples of creativity and design.
Whatever the building – an historic building, cultural landmark or any other structure designed for a purpose it no longer fulfils – the possibilities for refurbishment are endless. A manor house or castle is reborn as a grand hotel, an old barn makes a quirky, cosy retreat and what was once an industrial unit becomes an ideal home or workspace.
Whatever the property’s origins, one thing is for sure: the key to a great outcome is striking the perfect balance between past and present. Not forgetting, of course, the three core concepts: recover, reimagine and renovate. holding on toholding on toThere’s every chance the building will have original structural elements that can be conserved – arches, vaults, walls and windows, for example – and others which will need to be removed or modified to serve a new purpose. Whatever the project, the idea is to celebrate and conserve the style and history of yesterday, whilst adding just the right touch of today.
A new lease of life
The goal is to give old or unused properties a second chance; a new lease of life. The results can be spectacular, especially when the buildings undergoing refurbishment were already magnificent structures. This grand 18th century country residence in Alta Garrotxa, Girona, is a perfect example.
Built on the site of a fortified tower from 1234 still preserved to this day, the property encompasses six entirely self-contained buildings – all with generously sized bedrooms – rolling gardens and a number of shared facilities, including a large swimming pool, veranda and two marquees. A stunning showcase of how to combine old and new with impeccable taste and immaculate style.
This 16th century Galician stately home in Lalín (Pontevedra) was sensitively refurbished to celebrate its original manorial form. Throughout the property, the exposed beams and wooden floors are all original, crafted from chestnut wood. Several of the rooms still boast rustic wooden ceilings, stone walls and granite masonry around the doors and windows. Various structural and historical elements have also been lovingly preserved, such as the stone columns on the first-floor portico, a balcony on the western façade embellished with an old stone escutcheon and a lintel engraved with a cross above the main entrance.
Another example of an impressive refurbishment is this unique, fully-restored mill in the province of Segovia. Great care was taken throughout this project to maintain the use of traditional materials and preserve a wide array of period features, whilst introducing modern day facilities and fittings inside and out.
However, if there is one spectacular refurbishment to outshine any other, it is this 16th century church. Located in Vizcaya, in the Basque Country, the church has been converted to a stunning modern home with a seamless blend of renaissance and modern aesthetics. Since undergoing an ambitious three-year rebuild, this refurbished church has been featured in numerous architectural magazines, including Dwell, which named it one of 2019’s top 10 refurbished properties worldwide, as well as top global publications like the Financial Times.
