How We Made Our Old Farmhouse in Piemonte Comfortable Year-Round
Where history meets modern comfort
Living in a historic farmhouse in Piemonte sounds dreamy, but it comes with challenges—especially in winter and the hottest moments in summer. Cold weather can be tough in a house that was built centuries ago, and without the right changes, you’ll feel it. In this blog, I’ll share how we made our house more comfortable while keeping its charm and character intact.
As a structural engineer with experience in restoration and making historic homes more energy-efficient, I’ll share tips and lessons from our journey that might help with your own renovation.
Are old homes really less comfortable, or do we just approach them the wrong way? Let’s explore this together in the next six sections.
If you are renovating a home in Italy and want a clear plan instead of scattered tips, start with our Renovating in Italy blogseries. Step 1 helps you set a calm technical baseline before you spend money or make design decisions. Renovating in Italy Step 1
“Preserving authenticity while modernizing a home is an art in itself – and exactly what we’re working on.”
1. Timeless solutions from the past for modern comfort
Before modern technology, people found clever ways to make homes comfortable. These are some ideas that still work today:
Thick curtains: To block the cold.
Woolen rugs: We have one in every room at the moment and they’re true life savers in winter.
Shutters: They keep out the sun in summer and the cold in winter.
Shade trees: Provide coolness in summer and allow sunlight in winter.
Smaller rooms: Easier to keep warm or cool than large, open spaces.
South-facing rooms: Main living spaces were often built facing south for warmth, while cooler rooms like storage were placed on the north side.
Today, we often prefer big windows and open layouts. Beautiful, yes—but not always practical in older homes.
2. The unique challenges of renovating old homes
Historic homes have charm, but they also have unique challenges:
Thick walls: They keep the house cool in summer until the moment the heat is in and once they get cold in winter, they stay cold.
Drafty roofs and windows: Our house had single-pane windows and an uninsulated roof, making it drafty.
Heat loss: Studies show heat escapes in these ways:
Windows: 30%
Roof: 30%
Walls: 25%
Floor: 5%
Drafts and ventilation: 10%
In our home, the uninsulated roof, cold walls, and outdated windows caused the most discomfort. Plastic paneling and cement-based plaster on the walls made things worse by trapping moisture. When buying an old house, look carefully at the condition of the walls—replastering can be expensive.
Tip Did you know that humid air doesn’t heat efficiently? That’s why it’s important to ventilate your home daily, even during colder months. Avoid keeping everything tightly closed in an effort to trap heat—it’s counterproductive and can lead to moisture buildup.
“In the past, simplicity was the key to comfort: shutters, curtains, and smart orientation worked wonders.”
3. Our solutions: Finding the balance
Heating
We chose a mix of heating solutions:
Wood-burning stoves: A sustainable option for us since we have access to wood. Our Jøtul stove, which cost €2,500 including installation, retains heat overnight, making it easy to restart in the morning. Other stoves cool down more quickly. However, don’t underestimate the effort required to maintain a steady supply of wood if you’re sourcing and chopping it yourself—it’s a commitment that requires time and energy.
Air conditioning units: These provide heating and cooling, and with WiFi and programmable settings, we can warm the house before we get home. The total cost for our air conditioning system in part 1 was around €3,200 (3 airco’s). Downsides include noise and visibility, but a good installation plan can solve this. UPDATE: We experienced it’s perfect for the bedrooms but not nice to sit in the warmth of the airco in the livingroom.
Heat pump: Not suitable for us due to high electricity usage during frost and the high investment. A heat pump would be ideal with floor heating but we believe a low temperature heating system would’’t work out in our situation.
Air Conditioning Notes:
Air conditioning requires careful planning. Make sure to account for:
Coolant pipes connecting indoor and outdoor units.
Power cables supplying electricity to the system.
Condensate drains to remove water buildup.
“Did you know that windows and roofs are responsible for 60% of heat loss in an old house?”
Insulation
New windows: We installed double-glazed wooden windows with an authentic look. Cost: €1.400 per window.
Attic insulation: Instead of insulating the roof, we insulated the attic floor to keep unused spaces out of the heating zone. Cost: €38 - 52 per square meter without installation. (you could think of cellulose because it’s not interesting for pests)
Interior wall insulation: We added insulation only where it wouldn’t affect architectural details. External insulation is often ideal but can change the appearance of the building significantly.
Ventilation and Moisture Control
Moisture is a common issue in Piemonte. Here’s what we did:
Drainage: To keep water away from the foundation.
Mechanical ventilation: Ensures air circulation and prevents condensation or wood rot. Insulation without proper ventilation can create new problems.
4. What we’d do differently now
Air Conditioning
Challenges: Noise during heating and visible units.
What we’d change: A built-in system (like a ducted air conditioner). This would require more planning and a higher budget but would improve aesthetics and functionality.
Pro Tip: Discuss unit placement and drainage routes early in the design process.
Wood Stoves
Premium choice: Our Jøtul stove performs better than cheaper models, staying warm longer and being easier to use.
What we’d change: Invest in high-quality stoves for spaces you use most.
Tip: Use ChatGPT to create a comparison between heating options, such as heat pumps, air conditioners, and gas, to find the best fit for your situation.
More helpful prompt tips can be found at the bottom of this page!
Want to Renovate With More Clarity?
If this blog resonates, the Renovating in Italy Blog Series walks you through the process step by step. From your first technical check, to permits and professionals, to building a renovation concept that actually fits the house and more coming in 202.
Renovating in Italy Step 1 : First technical check
Renovating in Italy Step 2 : Permits and professionals
Renovating in Italy Step 3 : Building a renovation concept that actually fits the house
Renovating in Italy Step 4 : Budget and costs, what a renovation in Italy really costs
(Soon online: february 2026)
5. Smart renovation insights and resources
Renovating in Italy comes with unique opportunities and challenges. From understanding subsidies to knowing the right terms to communicate with local craftsmen, these insights will help you navigate your project with confidence.
Renovation subsidies in Italy (2025)
Subsidies for home renovations in Italy are still available but less generous than before. For non-residents, the benefits are limited.
Superbonus (65%): Reduced from 110% to 65%, spread over 10 years as a tax credit—only useful if you pay taxes in Italy.
Ecobonus: Covers upgrades like solar panels and heat pumps.
VAT Reduction: Some upgrades, like new windows, qualify for a reduced VAT rate of 10% instead of 22%.
Tip: Consult a fiscal advisor or geometra for personalized advice.
Solar Panels: Are they worth it?
Solar panels can be a great investment, but consider:
Payback period: Longer for a vacation home unless rented out.
Battery systems: Still costly and not needed unless you’re off-grid.
Costs: For a home that relies heavily on electricity like ours (cooking, cooling, heating, and hot water), you can expect to pay approximately €14,800 for 24 solar panels (460 Wp each, totaling 11 kWp) and €12,000 for a 21 kWh battery storage system.
Useful Italian terms for renovations
When renovating in Italy, these terms will help you communicate effectively:
Il mattone: Brick
Una trave di legno: Wooden beam
Le persiane: Shutters
La bombola: Gas tank
Contropareti: Interior wall insulation
Fotovoltaico: Solar panels
Pompa di calore: Heat pump
Tip: When in doubt, a quick sketch or photo can go a long way in clarifying your ideas. And don’t forget, a friendly smile or grazie mille works wonders!
“Smart gadgets, like WiFi-controlled air conditioning, make life just a little easier.”
6. Some Smart Prompts For Your Renovation
Start with these 4 smart prompts to use ChatGPT for your renovation planning:
"What are the most effective ways to make a [type of house, e.g., 19th-century stone farmhouse] in [location, e.g., Italy] comfortable during winter, while preserving its [specific features, e.g., historical charm] and maximizing [goal, e.g., energy efficiency]?"
"Design an integrated renovation plan for a [size, e.g., 200m²] [type of property, e.g., holiday home] in [region, e.g., Piemonte], considering [key elements, e.g., roof insulation, underfloor heating, and natural ventilation strategies]."
"Compare heating options for a [type of property, e.g., vacation home] in [climate, e.g., Piemonte with mild winters], factoring in [criteria, e.g., installation costs, maintenance, and suitability for occasional use]."
"Analyze the pros and cons of [system 1, e.g., air-conditioning units] versus [system 2, e.g., a heat pump] in a [type of house, e.g., 150-year-old farmhouse] with [specific features, e.g., thick stone walls and limited roof insulation]."
Next Step?
Do you want to read more about renovating in Italy? Read along in our Renovating in Italy blog series. Renovating in Italy Step 1 : First technical check
House hunting in Italy? Download our free Home Buying Guide before you book more viewings.
Meet The Writer
This blog was written by Jennifer Kenters-Building engineer and designer-passionate to make it easier for others to navigate the Italian home-buying process.
After managing renovations of historic buildings in the Netherlands for years, I moved to Italy where I now work with buyers and homeowners who want to transform old farmhouses, apartments and holiday homes into something functional, comfortable and beautiful.
Through our own cascina renovation in Piemonte, I quickly realised how different the Italian building culture is, how easily important details are overlooked, and how valuable it is to have a clear structure from the very beginning. That is why I created this renovation series, sharing the practical steps, technical insights and lessons I wish every new homeowner had access to.
Today, Boy and I visit properties regularly and guide others through the technical and design stages of their renovation. Combining craftsmanship, construction knowledge and design, we help people make informed decisions before they start the building process.
Want to follow our journey? I share daily updates on our renovation projects, insights, and life in Italy over on Instagram , come say hi!
