a home in rome

Always returning to Rome but never finding the perfect place to stay - it was time to create an ideal starting point for visits to the eternal city. One that felt like home, but like an old Italian home, just as you would imagine it when you’re not Roman yourself but want to pretend you are.

The apartment is located on the top floor of an old building in a busy street in traditional Trastevere, just an olive throw from the river, Piazza Trilussa and the church of S. Maria in Trastevere. It has amazing views from both sides of the apartment. On the east side you gaze out over the roofs of the neighbourhood and across to the Aventine hill, and in clear weather all the way to the villages in the hills of Castelli Romani. The west side has a stunning view from the Fontanone on the Gianicolo hill to the dome of St. Peter’s. The balcony doors onto a narrow terrace along the length of the building to the east and a small glassed-in balcony on the west side makes the most of the view and the light, and lets you feel that you take part in the city’s bustling life even though you’re elevated high above it.

Small changes had to be made to the plan to optimize it for the intended use. Bedroom and living room switched place to let the light and view all the way through from one side of the apartment to the other. Placement of doors was thoroughly studied to be able to position bed and sofa with a perfectly calculated view to the bell tower of the beautiful church of S. Maria in Trastevere. The position of the dining table and the armchair was equally meticulous, to let the gaze fall directly upon the dome of St. Peter’s. And the glassed-in balcony that used to double as storage space got a new life as a proper bay window with room for a tiny breakfast space, also the preferred spot for a glass of wine while watching the sun set over Gianicolo hill.

All surfaces were painted or tinted to obtain the classic Italian city apartment feel (as perceived by a foreigner, at least). Doors from the 1600 century were obtained from a farm sale in the countryside, reclaimed tiles from the 1800’s for the kitchen were found in the same place, and the space was furnished mainly with finds from Tuscan and Roman antique fairs and roadside markets. The apartment has a sober and simple feel to it, with no unnecessary frills, but is meant to warm up over time, as the owners continue to collect treasures from markets and antique shops on their future trips to Rome.

Would you like to take a closer look? The apartment is available for short time rentals, check it out here.

And if the idea of finding your very own holiday home in Italy appeals to you you might find this blog post useful.