Our First Floor is Set in Stone....and Brick!
We recently arrived back from an Easter visit to Vigna Rocchetta, and the construction is progressing at a fantastic pace. The builders are now starting to work some of the more unique features and it is exciting to see the first of these elements taking shape. These eye-catching details are what will give Vigna Rocchetta its look - established yet contemporary at the same time.
One of the particularly lovely features is the reclaimed vaulted brick ceilings. These ceilings are common in our area of Italy. Standing at 2.7m in height we believe they will give a grand and spacious feel to the property. But the business of vaulted ceilings is no walk in the park. Crafting these architectural wonders takes skill and time to ensure they set perfectly.
The construction of these brick vaulted style ceilings can be traced back as far as the Egyptians; however, it was mastered by the Romans (when in Italy do as the Romans do). They used the arched structure primarily to strengthen their architecture but, of course, we are using it simply for its stunning contribution to our designs.
The Romans may have mastered brick vaulted ceilings and used building supports such as wooden arches to support the bricks as the mortar sets, but here at Vigna Rocchetta we have employed a slightly different yet masterful technique. Instead of building wooden arches to support the bricks, our builders technique bases itself on laying a flat board under the ceiling beams, creating a sand mould to lay the bricks onto, cementing them in place, and then once the cement has set, the boards are removed, unveiling the fantastic vaulted ceiling. Sounds easy, right? It certainly looks easy when watching Mohammed, who is widely known for his skills, work.
The first floor contains 3 of the 6 bedrooms in the villa. Each bedroom will be 12 to 17 meters square and fitted with an underfloor heating system set beneath Italian porcelain tiles to warm your toes each morning, and underfloor cooling for those warm summer days. No noisy aircondition blowing cold air straight at you.
As you walk past the 180cm king-size bed, which I must note are Northern European (forget those traditionally hard Italian beds – we are all about comfort) you come to the large double balcony doors. Handmade, these doors open onto the main fully furnished balcony with deliciously rich views of the Monviso mountains, the vineyards of Monferrato, as well as overlooking the 4x11 meter pool next to our own vineyards and hazelnuts. Now doesn’t this sound like the perfect place to combine glorious views and relaxation with an Aperol spritz or glass of (in a few years) our own produced wine.
I hope I have given your imagination just a taste of what Vigna Rocchetta will have to offer, and next time I return I will provide you with another insight into the many more beautiful and unique features that will fill your stay with luxury and comfort.
Please enjoy these pictures taken from our trip to Vigna Rocchetta, Rocchetta Palafea and the local area during Easter 2018.
