Morning at Villa Jolanda: Reimagining 19th-Century Bones Above Lake Como

High above the shimmering, sapphire expanse of Lake Como, tucked into the verdant folds of the hillside village of Brunate, sits Villa Jolanda. It is a place where time seems to linger, suspended in stillness. The villa, a storied residence of stone, has long held a composed pact with the alpine landscape, its architecture folding into the slopes with a harmonious, almost geological inevitability. Now, the estate enters a new chapter: an interior transformation that balances the villa’s historical character with the refined needs of today.

The project is a three-way collaboration between Angelo Cappellini, Opera Contemporary, and Garamonds. Their directive was clear: to treat the villa as a living legacy, one capable of sustaining an interplay between the architectural bones of the 19th century and the measured vocabulary of contemporary craftsmanship.

Throughout the primary residence, the furniture provided by Opera Contemporary establishes a language of visual poise. The pieces are defined by their silhouettes, austere, refined, and tactile, rendered in a palette of warm, hushed neutrals that seem to invite the morning light into the rooms. In the bedrooms, this hushed grace reaches its zenith. Massive beds, distinguished by oversized headboards and clean lines, turn the sleeping quarters into havens of total calm.

The grandeur of Italian decorative tradition takes a central role. In a detached wooden pavilion that hangs over the gardens, envisioned as an inviting setting for the timeless ritual of “five o’clock tea,” Angelo Cappellini draws upon the gilded exuberance of the Louis XV style. Here, hand-carved sofas and armchairs, crystal-topped tables, and meticulously crafted finishes highlight a heritage of savoir-faire, serving as a respectful nod to the centuries of Italian mastery that preceded them.

In every wooden detail, woven textile, and selected material, the finesse of Italian craftsmanship resonates. Across every element of the project, Villa Jolanda remains a space that feels both timeless and unmistakably current, an evolution that respects its roots while remaining firmly grounded in the identity of its past.