Property Renovation in Abruzzo: Casa Mimosa Photo Diary - Houses in Italy

This is the original part of the farm house which will be restored.

Back section of the house, mostly farm sheds - to be demolished.

The other side of the back - again farm sheds.

A trap door into the roof - home to a family of barn owls.

Old storeroom with antique floor.

Garage and wood store.

Single storey part of the orginal house where British soldiers were hidden during the War.

The barn where the local farmer stored his straw.

On the site where the barn was, the foundations were dug for the 13.5m x 6m pool.

The view the pool will have.

The pool cemented but not lined.

Construction of veranda, removal of fig tree.

Filling up the pool. Too excited to wait!!

Getting there...

Night shot of pool in action.

View of house from new terrace.

Terrace towards the pool.

Terrace with view towards the mountains.

View from nearby hill - pool covered for the winter.

Taking off all the beautiful old roof tiles and palleting them for safe keeping.

The back of the house: Completely demolished.

Roof tiles are now off the hideaway.

Making another archway for what will be the kitchen.

Front of Mimosa covered in scaffolding.

All the foundations ready. Neatly palleted stone, tiles, bricks etc in the background.

Surprise! No foundations under the remaining house!

No problem: concrete blocks put in - and it's lunch time!

New arch constructed in the kitchen to match original. Will be replicated twice more on the ground floor.

All foundations are complete and the supporting pillars are ready to be filled with cement.

Windows enlarged and created in the south facing wall. Part of the 45ft long kitchen.

All ground floor supporting pillars in place. Starting the frame work for the vaulted ceilings.

When dried, wood & polystyrene are removed from below leaving a fantastic vaulted ceiling.

Old bedroom upstairs in the original house ready to be cemented over and tiled.

View of what will be the sitting room, hall and music room.

Recreated vaulted ceilings in the whole of the downstairs.

Preparing for the main architraves.

Stone work has started on the inside. Arches are being recreated.

Facing the new part in the old stone.

Mimosa taking shape!

Removing the polystyrene mould for the arch into the 'snug'.

Sandblasting all the stone work: a long, meticulous and laborious job.

The roof from the inside. Wooden beams and terracotta tiles.

Our stone man, one of very few artisans left who know how to work with Maiella stone.

Mimosa viewed from the lane.

Mimosa finally finished after only 6 months.

From the olive grove towards the house.

From the terrace towards the pool house and table tennis area.

The fantastic 45 foot long kitchen with all mod cons.

The "snug" leading into the hall. Wood burner for a cosy winter!

The wonderful spacious hall with a piano, leading to the snug and kitchen.

The Red double bedroom and shower room ensuite.

The Orange double bedroom and shower room ensuite.

The Green twin bedroom and shower room ensuite.

The Yellow twin bedroom with shower room ensuite.

The Blue twin bed room with bunks and an ensuite bathroom

Now the work is done, time to sit by the pool and watch the sun set.