Rasiglia: Designing a Holiday Home for Longer Stays

Designing a Holiday Home in Umbria: A Home for Longer Stays

A holiday home is often imagined as a place to escape everyday life. But when a property is intended to welcome family and friends for extended periods, its design needs to respond to something more than the occasional weekend away. It needs to feel like a home: comfortable, welcoming and capable of accommodating different ways of living together.

This was the starting point for our project in Rasiglia, Umbria, where an existing traditional property was reimagined as a retreat for longer stays.

A home designed around time together

The clients wanted a place where family and friends could spend meaningful time together, without feeling that everyone had to share the same space all the time. The challenge was to create a home that encouraged connection while preserving privacy and independence.

Rather than treating the property as a conventional holiday house, we approached the renovation by considering how it would be used throughout the day, and how its spaces could support both shared moments and quieter routines.

The result is a home designed around the experience of staying, rather than simply visiting.

Bringing the heart of the house together

The kitchen, dining and living areas became the natural starting point of the design. These spaces were opened into a brighter, more connected environment, creating a generous central area for cooking, dining and spending time together.

The relationship between these rooms was carefully considered. A holiday home needs spaces that can accommodate a lively gathering just as comfortably as a quiet morning or an informal family meal.

By improving the flow between the main living areas, the house feels more open and welcoming, while retaining the character of the existing property.

Extending everyday living into the garden

In Umbria, the landscape is an important part of the experience of a home. The garden was therefore considered as an extension of the interior, rather than simply an outdoor setting.

The house opens towards the garden, with the pergola creating a natural place to gather, relax and enjoy the surrounding environment. This connection between inside and outside makes everyday life feel more generous, particularly during the warmer months.

The intention was not to create a separate outdoor feature, but to make the garden an integral part of how the house is experienced.

Privacy makes shared living work

When a property is designed for several generations or groups of friends, shared spaces are only part of the equation. Everyone also needs somewhere to retreat.

The organisation of the bedrooms and private areas was therefore an important part of the renovation. En-suite bedrooms provide greater independence, while a dedicated study offers an additional space for quieter activities or working during longer stays.

These decisions allow the house to accommodate different rhythms and needs without compromising the sense of togetherness.

Designing for the way people want to live

The renovation in Rasiglia demonstrates how the design of a holiday home should begin with an understanding of the people who will use it.

The most successful spaces are not necessarily the largest or most elaborate. They are the ones that respond naturally to everyday routines, make time together enjoyable and offer enough flexibility to adapt to different occasions.

For properties in Umbria, this often means finding a balance between the character of the existing building, the surrounding landscape and the expectations of contemporary living.

At RVA, we approach each renovation by considering the property as a whole: its architecture, its interiors and the way each space will be used. The aim is to create homes that feel connected to their setting while offering the comfort and practicality expected today.

In Rasiglia, this has resulted in a welcoming retreat where family and friends can spend longer periods together, with space to share, space to pause and a stronger connection to the landscape of Umbria.