You see them everywhere in Italy—cheap plywood doors with honeycomb cardboard cores, often tossed out or listed as free on Marketplace. But instead of replacing ours, we decided to restore them. Swapping the glass, adding new trim, and prepping them for paint not only gave them a second life—it also improved the acoustics in the house.
Also this week: the elderflowers are blooming, and making cordial is quietly becoming one of our seasonal traditions.
We’re Isis & Bertus, a Belgian-Dutch couple. In the summer of 2023, we moved into a neglected farmhouse in a tiny village in the northwest of Italy. The last inhabitants left about 15 years ago, but large parts of the property have been empty for more than 20.
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