Podere Natura - Zeynep Su Oncel

Based on the clients' personal histories and stylistic choices, a neutral and earthy color and material palette was chosen to reflect their multi-cultural influences; the tactility of the Mediterranean home and the minimalistic choices of a Scandinavian style. Inspired by the nature surrounding the house, the serenity of the Tuscan countryside is essentially reflected to the house, both by the color palette, the material choices and the layout design.

Ground Floor Plan

At the heart of the project is an open-plan living space where daily life unfolds in a fluid dialogue between interior and garden. Rather than solid partitions, areas are defined by furniture, architectural fixtures, and subtle level changes, maintaining a sense of openness and continuity. A sunken seating area forms an intimate focal point for conversation, especially when hosting guests.

The layout balances openness with privacy: guest rooms occupy the north-western corners of the ground floor with independent access, while the upper level is reserved for the couple, housing a cinema room, a semi-separate workspace, and spaces for retreat.

First Floor Plan

Adjacent to the living space, a south-facing winter garden brings light and seasonal change into the home. Large glazed doors open fully toward the garden and pool terrace, dissolving the boundary between inside and outside during the warmer months. To the west, a patio and pergola capture the softer evening light, creating a sheltered setting for long sunset dinners and extending the social life of the house into the landscape.

Kitchen is designed as a place of collaboration and shared ritual. The space is shaped by a tactile material palette that blurs the line between architecture and furniture. Limewashed walls create a soft, textured backdrop, while brick vaulting adds a grounded, sculptural rhythm overhead.

A central monolithic island of light-wood and stone serves as both workspace and gathering point, allowing the couple to cook together while remaining connected to the surrounding living spaces and garden views. The result is a calm and tactile environment where warm wood, raw limewash, and filtered light support the quiet rhythm of daily life.

The bedroom is conceived as a quiet retreat, where materiality and light create an atmosphere of calm. Limewashed walls form a soft, textured backdrop, while built-in oak joinery integrates shelving and bedside elements into a seamless whole. A low upholstered bed in textured linen anchors the room, complemented by muted textiles and softly diffused paper lantern lighting. The restrained palette of wood, plaster, and natural materials creates a space that feels warm, grounded, and contemplative.

The master bathroom is conceived as a sculptural core within the couple's private suite, organized around a monolithic H-shaped volume that structures the space while allowing for fluid circulation. By placing the functional elements at the center, the design creates a sequence of zones for bathing, washing, and daily rituals that feel open yet subtly defined.

The villa is a carefully considered response to the couple's brief, designed to foster connection, creativity, and a deep sense of calm. A restrained, earthy material palette grounds the home in tactility and warmth, while open-plan layouts and subtle spatial shifts create a fluid dialogue between interior and garden. Throughout, light, texture, and materiality work in harmony to cultivate an atmosphere of quiet refinement, transforming daily routines into intimate, sensory experiences that resonate with the surrounding Tuscan landscape.

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