How Two New Yorkers Transformed a Beloved Family Villa on Lake Como

Why It Matters

The project proves that cross‑border design firms can efficiently restore historic luxury estates, raising the benchmark for heritage preservation in the high‑end real‑estate market.

Key Takeaways

• NYC Studio DB renovates 1813 Lake Como family villa
• Project tackled steep site, tight summer deadline, remote owners
• Design blends historic antiques with modern, mid‑century pieces
• Renovation preserved original façade, added outdoor kitchen, pizza oven
• Transatlantic collaboration proved faster than typical US bathroom remodel

Pulse Analysis

The renovation of Villa Polli illustrates the growing appetite among affluent families to revitalize historic estates while preserving their cultural DNA. Built in 1813 and perched on Lake Como’s rugged cliffs, the property demanded a tower crane, careful logistics, and a compressed January‑to‑summer schedule. Such constraints are typical for heritage sites where structural integrity and panoramic views are non‑negotiable. By confronting a steep, rocky terrain and coordinating shipments across the Atlantic, the project underscores how modern construction techniques can coexist with centuries‑old architecture, setting a benchmark for similar European restorations.

Studio DB, the New York‑based firm led by husband‑and‑wife duo Damian and Britt Zunino, brought a multidisciplinary lens that merged architecture, fashion, and interior design. Their process began with exhaustive archival research, cataloguing the Polli family’s art and furniture, then crafting floor plans that honored original circulation patterns. Rather than overhaul the layout, they stripped incongruent 1980s interventions, reinstated period‑appropriate staircases, and introduced a sleek oval kitchen island alongside an outdoor pizza oven. The result is a seamless dialogue between mid‑century lighting, 17th‑century paintings, and contemporary furnishings that amplifies the villa’s lake vistas.

The success of this transatlantic collaboration signals a shift in the luxury real‑estate market, where owners increasingly enlist designers outside traditional regional circles to achieve fresh perspectives. By demonstrating that an American firm can deliver a project faster than a typical New York bathroom remodel, the Villa Polli case challenges assumptions about European bureaucratic delays and reinforces the value of global talent networks. For investors and developers, the renovation offers a template for marrying heritage preservation with high‑end hospitality amenities, potentially boosting the resale premium of historic properties in coveted destinations like Lake Como.