Casolare Scarani House by Studio Andrew Trotter in Karovino, Italy

Project: Casolare Scarani
Architects: Studio Andrew Trotter
Location: Karovino, Italy
Year: 2023
Photography: Salva López

Casolare Scarani House by Studio Andrew Trotter

Deep in the heart of Puglia, a remarkable story of transformation unfolds. Originally a girls’ school with a unique blend of Masseria and Villa styles, the house had been abandoned for decades until a friend discovered it. When the architects decided not to make it their own, the Colman family stepped in — Ian convinced Maria to buy it without a prior inspection.

The restoration preserved the exterior beauty, while the interior was revitalized with lemon plaster and restored stones. The old garage building became a cozy kitchen, the barns turned into a laundry room, and new attics were added. The result is an exquisite blend of history and modernity — a true treasure of Puglia.

Years ago, a friend from Barcelona had the idea of moving to Puglia. She showed me several houses online to see what I thought about it. Perhaps a year or so later, we passed by the house on our way to Karovino and realized it was one of those houses she had shown me. The house was beautiful, old, with a lot of character and not too big. In the countryside, you usually find small lamiases — stone barns where local owners stored equipment; or very large Masserias, where wealthy landowners once lived.

It was quite unusual to stumble upon a building with Masseria style but the size of a small villa. We discovered that it was originally a girls’ school and had a rich history with the local community. It had been abandoned in the early 1960s, and we lovingly brought it back to life. This house was a treasure.

At the time, we were thinking about other projects but decided not to buy it for ourselves, so when our friends and clients, the Colman family, started looking for a house, we immediately showed them this one. In fact, we showed it to Ian since Maria was in Australia, and a month after that, the coronavirus pandemic began. Based on photos, Ian convinced Maria, and they bought it without her personal inspection. More than a year later, when we had already started renovating the property, Maria saw the house for the first time. Fortunately, she fell in love with it just as we knew she would. Nine months later, the Casolare Scarani house was completed.

Regarding the renovation process, we tried to preserve as much of the original patina as possible. Together with Ian and Maria, we spent days removing old flaking paint to reveal the wonderful stone of the portico. Inside everything needed plastering, so we brought in a craftsman who makes his own lemon plaster and paints. All the old stones were relocated, and we also added new tile flooring that perfectly complemented the old.

The former garage building became a kitchen with an internal courtyard at the back. The stone slab was restored, and the donkey stable turned into a laundry room. We also added two new blocks at the back of the house, which became two attics for two bedrooms on the first floor. The two rooms on the upper floor were transformed into a master bedroom with its own bathroom. The living room features beautiful starry ceilings and a large fireplace. The dining area is in the old stable, and the kitchen is located nearby.

–Studio Andrew Trotter