D&G Design - Renovating in Italy

D&G Design - Renovating in Italy We’re Davide and Gary, a reno team with a passion for breathing new life into Italy’s historic buildings.

We take on everything from client vacation home renovations to restoring our own Italian home.

30/05/2026

POV: Your biggest decision today is whether to have aperitivo by the sea, in the piazza, or somewhere tucked away down a cobbled alley.

Some days in Italy really are that complicated. 🍷🇮🇹

If you could be here right now, what would you order first?
🍹 Spritz
🍷 Wine
☕ Coffee
🍺 Beer

⬇️ Let us know below

17/05/2026

One minute we were painting the museo in Montedinove ready for an upcoming festival and exhibition… the next, we’d somehow been cast as briganti on Italian television. 🇮🇹

📺 RAI1’s lunchtime show Camper had arrived to film a segment about the history of the briganti, the bandits who once roamed the Italian countryside, and apparently our qualifications for the role included “already being there” and “looking vaguely suspicious.”

Naturally, we took the acting very seriously.

Before filming, we tried asking the other bandits and wenches important character-development questions such as:
“Are we happy bandits?”
“Sad bandits?”
“Angry at society because of widening economic inequality and rural poverty bandits?”

🎬 At which point the director simply yelled:
“SILENZIO!”

So we improvised.

🤔 Personally, I felt my character deserved a richer backstory. Perhaps a misunderstood villager driven to a life of highway robbery after one too many Comune tax bills. We’ll never know.

🤷‍♂️ Showbiz ain’t easy.

15/05/2026

🇮🇹 People often imagine renovating in Italy as long lunches, Aperol spritzes, and casually knocking through walls in a beautiful old townhouse.

🔨 The reality is usually a little more complicated.

🇮🇹 This Italian casa needed structural checks from an engineer, hidden beams were discovered beneath layers of plaster, the entire place had to be rewired, and ceilings had to be propped while iron lintels were installed.

❤️ But this is also why we love these projects.

Older Italian homes often hide incredible character beneath decades of alterations... you just need the right team, realistic expectations, and a willingness to adapt when surprises appear.

😂 And yes… I still nearly hit my head on those doorways.

⬇️ Comment “RENO” and we’ll send you the full renovation video by DM.

🏡 When looking at Italian houses online, especially the cheaper ones, there are often clues hidden in the photos that te...
13/05/2026

🏡 When looking at Italian houses online, especially the cheaper ones, there are often clues hidden in the photos that tell you whether you may need to spend a lot more money than you think.

As renovators, we’ve heard every excuse in the book for skipping surveys and technical inspections.

“It looked fine online.”
“The estate agent said it was structurally sound.”
“We didn’t want to spend more money before buying.”

And our personal favourite - "If it's survived years of earthquakes then it must be fine."

🤷‍♂️ Would you buy a house in your own country without having it inspected first?

Always have a property checked by a technical expert such as a geometra, engineer, or architect before buying. The fee might feel like an extra expense at the time… but buying a money pit usually costs considerably more.

✅ Save this post for your Italian home search.

08/05/2026

🇮🇹 These small spaces used to be wasted.

✅ Now they are fully functional en-suites.

When renovating older Italian homes, we often find awkward rooms that seem too small to be useful, but with the right layout, plumbing, and planning, they can become one of the most valuable spaces in the house.

It’s not always about making rooms bigger, sometimes it’s about making them smarter.

👍 Follow for real renovation stories and practical tips from Italy.

03/05/2026

🇮🇹 Will you ever need them?
Almost certainly not.

Will they make Italians laugh if you use them?
Possibly.

✅ Save this post for the day you find yourself needing to say something completely unnecessary in Italian.

02/05/2026

❤️ Everything you do in Italy somehow feels a little more special.

🇮🇹 The weather, the people, hearing the language around you, trying to speak it yourself, and of course, the taste of the food.

❤️ There are moments of pure joy here every single day and most of them don’t cost a thing.

🏡 We live and work here, and even now it still feels like an adventure.

⬇️ Follow for everyday stories about living and renovating in Italy.

30/04/2026

What started as a trip through Tuscany and Umbria became something much bigger 🇮🇹

✈️ Eden and Jay tagged our Move to Italy Retreat onto the end of their travels, then met the experts who would eventually help them buy their country house.

🙋‍♂️🙋‍♀️Along the way, those professionals became familiar faces… and then friends.

🏡 That support didn’t stop with the purchase, it helped them settle, connect, and become part of their local Italian community.

👍 Comment RETREAT and we’ll DM you the details.

26/04/2026

🇮🇹 From damaged plaster to a peaceful bedroom with views of the Italian hills.

This room started as a tired white space with flaking plaster and broken terracotta tiles.

✅ We carefully restored the floor, repointed the joints, reskimmed the walls, and chose a soft sage green to bring the colours of the countryside indoors.

✅ New balcony doors and shutters improved insulation and light, while air conditioning added year-round comfort.

❤️ A room that once felt neglected is now calm, warm, and ready to be lived in.

👍 Want the inside story on this reno? Comment RENO and we'll DM you the full video!

24/04/2026

🇮🇹 This bedroom has come a long way.
What started as a tired 1970s room had to be stripped right back to the bones after the earthquake.

🔨 We removed the old plaster, carried out structural reinforcements, rebuilt the walls, and installed new balcony doors and windows... all before we could even think about decorating.

👏 It’s not finished yet…
But this is what real renovation looks like in Italy.

✅ Sometimes the most important progress is the work you can’t see.

😍 And that view from the balcony is a reminder of why the journey is worth it.

👍 Follow for our Italian renovation stories

Indirizzo

Force
Ascoli Piceno

Telefono

+393921374770

Sito Web

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