Mazzacorta House
Mazzacorta House is a beautiful country-style house is situated in Capoliveri, on the Italian island of Elba.
About Mazzacorta House
Immerse yourself in the heart of Capoliveri’s countryside, just minutes from town and a short walk from the sea, where Adriano Bacchella’s house captures the essence of the island and beyond. Here, materials intersect and blend, showcasing the island’s character and its external influences.
The Essence of Wood
Wood dominates the interior, crafted from carefully recovered raw materials. Old materials, from driftwood on the island’s beaches to timber from dilapidated mountain huts in Piedmont, play a central role. This eco-sustainability concept thrives under the skilled hands of Piedmontese carpenters from Abete Vecchio, including Daniele Re and Gabriel Chiodo, who, along with other artisans coordinated by the Turin-based photographer Adriano Bacchella, have fully embraced this project.
Upon entering Casa Mazzacorta, a gate of aged poplar planks bound by rusty iron sheets welcomes you. A path of tuff blocks winds through olive trees, leading to a gravel sea where two chestnut sofas float like rafts, offering views beyond the reclaimed fir pole railing to the vast Mediterranean scrub in the garden.
Interior Wonders
The house opens on the upper floor, where a slightly ajar fir door offers glimpses of hazelnut-colored plaster reflected in a walnut wood-framed mirror. The eye is drawn to the irregular walnut countertop of the sink, merging with a riser hiding a washer-dryer, while colorful wooden fish by Elban artist Silvia Casini peek out from their frames, smiling cunningly.
The resin floor matches the plaster’s hue, harmonizing perfectly with the local colors. The color palette, ranging from hazelnut to dirty yellow to orange, mirrors the landscape, including sea-washed logs, gravel, and the red hues of dry soil.
Living Spaces
The kitchen stands as an island in the middle of the living area, leading to an outdoor terrace. Next to the bathroom is the bedroom, with a door to the external staircase, like all house joinery, made of ash wood.
An outdoor shower, shielded by a small pergola of beach wood and earth-anchored logs, offers a rustic retreat. The first-floor terrace features a large table made of brushed old fir, with rusty iron legs, surrounded by a repeating railing, evoking a ship’s bridge. Below lies a grand pergola framing the house’s facade, supported by beach driftwood and topped with a bamboo roof, softly filtering sunlight into the lounge area, furnished with a sofa and armchairs from reclaimed fir and driftwood.
A New Dimension
The interior has been reimagined, with demolished walls creating an open space designed to welcome guests, featuring a mezzanine with two twin beds, a large central poplar table, and two hidden extra beds.
Gastronomic Fragrances and Outdoor Delights
Kitchen aromas waft through the air, leading to a smaller pergola on the east side, housing an outdoor kitchen with a whitewashed, exterior-treated walnut countertop and stone top. Two induction plates allow cooking while facing a massive table (Lebanese cedar, a single slab measuring 100×450 cm or approximately 39×177 inches), with the Elban Dolomites’ silhouettes glowing red at sunset in the background.
The Garden’s Symphony
Alessandra Puccini, a garden designer, extends the house into the garden and the garden into the landscape. Her design process involves analyzing the context, noting existing plants, observing used materials, and choosing plants for their leaf texture, flower color, and seasonality. This ensures every corner shines, integrating the house seamlessly into Elba’s celebrated scenery, with native shrubs like lentisk and Phillyrea blending with the silver tones of a small olive grove and a corner of aromatic herbs, creating a sensory garden of scents.
Photography by Adriano Bacchella
- by Matt Watts
