Lake Como | Cottage
Specialisation
Residential Development
Interior Design
Location
Como, Italy
Year Established
2023
Lead Architect
Simone De Nardi
Design Team
Simone De Nardi
This project reimagines an existing house on Lake Como through a comprehensive transformation of its layout, circulation and façades. The intervention was conceived not simply as an extension, but as a way of giving the building a clearer architectural identity and a stronger relationship with its landscape.
Externally, the integration of the staircase and the glazed timber orangerie substantially reshaped the composition of the house. Existing stonework, deep roof overhangs and dark green joinery were retained as part of its material identity, while the new interventions establish a more balanced dialogue between the building’s traditional character and its contemporary use.
A previously external staircase was integrated into the house and paired with a new orangerie: a finely detailed volume of glass and dark-painted timber that brings daylight deep into the plan. Visible from the living room, the orangerie creates a layered connection between the interior, the garden and the surrounding landscape, while becoming the defining architectural element of the renewed façade.
The first floor was completely reorganised. Its former arrangement, a bedroom, a small living room, a kitchenette and a bathroom was opened to create a generous and interconnected living level. It now accommodates a proper sitting room, a dining area, a full-scale kitchen and a guest cloakroom, allowing everyday life to unfold across a brighter and more fluid sequence of spaces.
The interiors draw on the warmth and informality of a British country cottage. Floral fabrics, traditional furniture, natural timber and softly layered neutral tones create rooms that feel collected rather than formally decorated. The result is a home that combines architectural clarity with a sense of familiarity—rooted in its Lake Como setting, yet distinctly personal in atmosphere.
The bedrooms were relocated to the ground floor, where a new bathroom and laundry room were carefully carved out of the former garage. The original garage opening was transformed into a large panoramic window for the second bedroom, framing views across Lake Como and giving the previously utilitarian lower level an entirely new character.
At DDSarchitettura, we believe in creating spaces that feel both timeless and deeply personal. This Lake Como cottage was thoughtfully reimagined to preserve its character while bringing new light, clarity and ease to everyday living.