I decided to sell my apartment one ordinary morning while looking at a photo on the refrigerator: me sitting on a bench, two grandchildren with scraped knees and an ice cream melting too quickly. In that moment, I realized that I no longer wanted to be 'the grandmother who arrives by car,' but rather the one who is there, even just to say hello from the window. When I saw this house from ground to sky in Costavina in the municipality of Pergine Valsugana, all needing renovation, I wasn't scared. On the contrary. I looked beyond the walls that needed fixing and the somewhat tired stairs. I saw an idea, a possible future. A place to grow together without stepping on each other's toes. The project is clear, simple, and smart: two independent units. I've already imagined myself on the first floor in a cozy apartment with one room, my bright kitchen and an armchair by the window—a space entirely mine that's easy to live in where I can continue being autonomous as I've always been. Above it would take shape my son's home and his family over two levels: with a large open space and bathroom on the second floor and under-roofing with two bedrooms; they would finally have enough room for children's creative messiness—scattered toys and laughter echoing down the stairs. I'd feel them close but not inside my home; I'd know they're there without intruding upon their lives. They'd know I'm around without depending on me. This house is the perfect compromise between closeness and freedom—it’s about helping each other while still preserving our own intimacy; sharing coffee in the morning or an impromptu dinner but also shutting doors to enjoy some silence alone time.
It’s not just about renovation; it's about making life choices—thinking ahead wisely yet heartfeltly creating a space where grandchildren can grow up knowing grandma is just one flight away instead of across cities.
Now it’s someone else's turn to continue this story—perhaps another family or maybe an investment or perhaps someone dreaming similar dreams like mine because certain houses don’t only wait for new walls… they wait for new lives full of stories.