Casa San Silvestro is situated in the heart of Meride, a romantic medieval village nestled in the hills of Canton Ticino at the foot of Monte San Giorgio, where the houses are oriented towards the sun. It is precisely from here that the etymology of the name Meride derives: “a meriggio,” meaning towards the south.
Milena Maesani oversaw the restoration of the accommodation, a luxurious B&B located within a charming 18th-century courtyard with a broad view of acres of vineyards and pristine forests.
Stepping through the doorway, one is welcomed by an atmosphere that evokes ancient stories, peace, and tranquility. A century-old grape pergola guides the way to the B&B’s reception desk, and the breakfast room and a bright living area with sofas and fireplaces provide a welcoming entrance.
The restoration preserved the atmosphere and original architectural structure of the old house. This was once an ancient peasant dwelling in the center of the village. The location is characterized by the perfectly harmonious combination of rustic materials such as stones, wooden ceilings, and stone walls, and modern, functional, and clean furnishings.
The structure features an internal courtyard, an alternation of small spaces, labyrinthine stairways, and large balconies that open onto airy loggias and the surrounding nature.
The intervention prioritized respect for the original elements. The wooden ceilings with large chestnut beams, the 18th-century terracotta floors, the stone walls, the colonnades, and the striking original arches created by the so-called “picasass” (stone cutters) of Meride in the 18th century were all restored.
The luxury B&B Casa San Silvestro has seven rooms with panoramic views, each of which has been renovated with a strong desire to respect the context and the natural environment. Every accommodation solution was created with skillful attention and an emphasis on the research of material elements.
The strength of wood, stone, and rocks meets the softness of more modern surfaces. From the natural oak plank parquet in the rooms to the custom-made marble paste walls, to the ultra-modern “pastellone” showers equipped with chromotherapy and Turkish bath functionality. A soft palette of neutral colors such as taupe, white, black, beige, and gray provides a pleasant sensation of comfort and relaxation in a characteristic modern rustic style.
The cellar area is fascinating, featuring the ancient well with hand-cut curved stones and pure, untouched mountain water at the bottom. The old, vaulted, all-stone underground stables have been rehabilitated and reopened and will soon become a relaxing Wellness area.
The restoration project was developed by architects Omar Berri – Studio R19, Milan, and Ambrogio Grassi – Studio Grac, Mendrisio. The execution of the restoration and renovation works was carried out by the Milena Maesani Studio and a team of prestigious artisans, each an expert in their sector.
Milena Maesani Restauri, specifically, created the marble paste plasters in all the rooms, skillfully maintaining the flavor of ancient tradition, and the “pastellone” (cocciopesto paste) surfaces in the bathrooms. She also restored the terracotta and wooden elements of the 18th-century ceilings and every single stone element, from the ancient suggestive walls, the small columns, the terraces, and the balustrades.
The realization of all the facades with a veiled pink intonachino (fine plaster) on both the street-facing portion and the entrance is the work of Maesani. For the remaining walls, the silicate-based mixture from Keim, a leading company in the sector of restoration materials, was used.
Our company also restored all the wooden elements present in the structure, excluding the parquet, as well as creating the cement-like resin floors using a special Mapei solution. This is Mapefloor, a two-component, water-dispersible, and vapor-permeable epoxy formulation, an excellent material for the bathroom and small stairwell floorings.
Milena Maesani also developed high-decoration works, painting a mural fresco representing the structure’s sign above the entrance door and all the personalized logos that distinguish the different rooms of the accommodation.
A special mention goes to all the leading suppliers in the sector, such as Mapei, which developed the project for slab consolidation using a specific adhesive and chemical anchors on wire meshes anchored to the walls. The work of Cesana, which supplied the custom-made shower structures, and the Turin-based company Sinopia Restauro, which provided the pastelloni, the materials used for the bathrooms, is also commendable.
