A Dutch couple has taken on the ambitious task of restoring an abandoned villa in Italy that had been untouched for 25 years.
Roger, 49, and Mirella, 54, who are a part of Generation X (those born between 1965-1980), shared their journey through their social media channels, documenting the process on TikTok (@renovation.palazzo.puro) and on YouTube (@RenovationPalazzoPuro).
The video of the property, located in Italy's Le Marche region, has drawn the attention of viewers fascinated by the prospect of transforming a neglected old home into a livable masterpiece.
In the TikTok clip, which has over 635,000 views so far since it was posted late last month, Roger and Mirella introduce the villa with sweeping views of its weathered exterior and the surrounding valley. The video, narrated by Roger, captures the moment they first arrived at the property.
"We traveled 1,600 kilometers [around 994 miles] to view an abandoned Italian house that we found online," Roger explains. "We had never been to this region of Italy but what we found was amazing. An old villa built in Palazzo style, located in a valley of rolling hills with a modest sea view and a five-minute drive to the beach."
Mirella shared more details with Newsweek about the couple's decision to purchase the property, located near the coastal village of Cupra Marittima. "The villa was our first search ever," Mirella said, explaining that they found the house on the real estate website Gate-away.
The purchase, though unplanned, resonated deeply with a dream Mirella had held since her youth. "Since I was a teenager, I was dreaming of living in an old Italian house near the coast and becoming a writer," she said.
Despite the home's dilapidated state, the couple was enchanted. "The villa was abandoned for 25 years, as you can tell by the plants growing in the roof," Roger says in the TikTok video. "The shutters and windows are partly broken, and when it rains, the water comes in."
As they explored the interior, they found "a lot of trash but also treasures," Roger adds in the clip. Reflecting on their immediate decision, he says, "We never looked at another house again...people say we are crazy, but are we?"
The couple's renovation project continues as 4.71 million existing homes are expected to be sold this year, marking a 13.5 percent rise from the 4.1 million anticipated in 2023, according to the latest forecast from the National Association of Realtors.
A Dream Realized in Italy's Le Marche Region
The couple bought the villa for approximately €150,000 ($164,414). Spanning 350 square meters (3,767 square feet), the home features soaring ceilings ranging from 3.5 to 5.5 meters high (around 11.5 to 18 feet). Along with the villa, they acquired 20,000 square meters (about 215,278 square feet) of surrounding farmland, which includes around 20 olive trees and two natural water sources. The farmland cost an additional €50,000 ($54,808).
Although the villa's age remains uncertain, it is believed to have been built in the 1920s, with some parts possibly older.
"Nobody knows exactly how old the house is," Mirella explained, noting that the annex was likely added in the 1950s. The property had been owned by two Italian sisters who inherited it from their aunt, and they showed no interest in renovating the crumbling estate.
A Forgotten Home and Piece of History
Despite being vacant for more than two decades, the house still contains many remnants of the past.
"The interior of the previous owners was still there," Mirella told Newsweek, adding that the smell inside was unpleasant due to the presence of animals like lizards that had lived in the space. The house was also filled with personal belongings left behind by the family who once resided there, including old magazines, notebooks, and even love letters.
Historically, the villa was divided by function. "The animals used to live on the ground floor, the family on the first floor, and the attic was used for storage," Mirella explained.
The couple plans to reimagine the layout entirely, transforming the house into a five-bedroom, four-bathroom retreat. They envision a dining room, kitchen, and living room on the first floor, while the attic will be converted into additional bedrooms. As part of the long-term renovation, they hope to add a pool and pool house, though their budget may not allow for all their dreams to be realized.
"We will do a large part of the renovation ourselves," Mirella said, noting that they recently spent three weeks at the property preparing for the extensive renovation ahead. The couple plans to return in October and will spend a long stretch of time in Italy in early 2025. Their ultimate goal is to move to Italy full-time, though they may rent out the villa when they are not living there.
Mirella and Roger are embracing the challenges of breathing new life into the villa. Though the process will be difficult and costly, Mirella remains optimistic.
"We fell in love with this old Italian house. We have to renovate it completely but believe that it will be amazing in the end," the couple said in a caption shared with the viral TikTok video.
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