A project born out of a love for family homes
There’s something hard to put into words about the moment you decide to renovate a house that’s more than just a house. It’s your hom, the place where you grew up with your family, where the seasons have come and gone amid the aromas of cooking, conversations around the table, and silences filled with affection. These are the spaces you know by heart even in the dark, where every object has its own name and every detail tells a story.
Clearing out an apartment after forty years of living there is a task that requires courage. And patience. It’s an emotional, intimate, and at times painful process. Every object is a decision, every box a piece of history you must choose how to preserve. But even amidst all this difficulty, I never felt alone because I always sensed that Vittorio and Orietta, my parents, my compass, had never truly left. They were always there, in that light filtering through the blinds, in the rooms that were gradually emptying, in the rediscovered love notes and letters, in the choices I had to make, feeling guided by something greater than logic.
And so Terrace Sunset Scandicci was born. Not from a business plan, but from a quiet promise between me and my parents: that these walls would continue to welcome, to offer warmth, and to be a true home for anyone who walked through them. With a new look, but the same soul. The project is part of the Terrace Sunset Homes family, homes with large private west-facing terraces, designed for those who believe that a sunset viewed from the right spot can set the tone for an entire day. Here, in Scandicci, that philosophy meets something even more concrete: a coliving space designed for students and professionals who need a real place to live, not just a place to sleep. A place that feels like home from day one.
The apartment: space, privacy, and comfort all under one roof
Let’s talk numbers: 111 square meters in the center of Scandicci, spread across the 5th and top floor, accessible via an elevator that is 70 cm wide to accommodate wheelchairs or walkers for people with limited mobility. Three double bedrooms, each with its own private bathroom. This isn’t a minor detail, it’s the difference between living together and sharing. You have your own space, your own rhythm, your own privacy. And when you want to socialize, the choice is yours. Each room is also designed for those who work or study: there’s a dedicated desk area, with adequate lighting and a layout that promotes concentration. No need to jump through hoops to turn the nightstand into a workspace. And then there’s the common area, a single, light-filled space that combines the living room and kitchen, the beating heart of the apartment: a place to gather, exchange ideas, work together, or simply spend an afternoon chatting.
A space that becomes all the more beautiful the more the people who live there fill it with life
Two terraces where you can truly relax
And then there are these: two private terraces, both designed to be fully accessible to everyone, without exception. From the living room, even guests with limited mobility can access the larger terrace via a dedicated ramp, while the smaller terrace is easily accessible from the bedroom – which is designed for guests with limited mobility – and the kitchen, with no insurmountable steps.
The larger terrace measures 40 square meters, enough to host a dinner with friends, a yoga session at sunrise, an outdoor work session on one of the many sunny days. Thanks to its west-facing orientation, it’s the perfect spot to enjoy a cup of tea and a book or to watch the sunset over the hills of San Martino alla Palma. The other 12-square-meter terrace, facing east, is more secluded and intimate, ideal for a mid-morning coffee: even from this small terrace, you can still catch a glimpse of the hills behind Scandicci Alto..
Beautiful terraces with a soul of their own, just as is the tradition at Terrace Sunset Homes. Because those Tuscan sunsets-with the light shifting to orange and the outlines of the hills slowly darkening – aren’t just a tourist gimmick: they’re something real, something that happens every evening, and over time, they become a part of you.
A home that preserves its soul and carries it forward with respect
One of the aspects that most defined this project—in terms of design choices, hard work, and a year and a half of continuous dedication—and that I am most eager to share with you, is the decision not to erase the past, but to honor it by finding a new form.
The marble floors, the so-called “Palladian” ones, have remained exactly where they were. Those veined marbles, with their irregular textures and the specific weight of each slab, embody an Italian aesthetic that never goes out of style because it has never chased trends.
They’ve been there for forty years, and they’ll still be there in forty years. Even the original radiators have been preserved: not for lack of imagination, but because that solid presence, that almost sculptural geometric form, says something authentic about the space that no underfloor radiant panel could ever replicate.
The family furniture has been partially and carefully restored: pieces that already had a life of their own and have been given a new one, thanks to functional renovations and color choices designed to create a natural dialogue between the old and the new. Not vintage for the sake of a trend, but restoration out of conviction. Take the classic wooden kitchen, for example, which, thanks to the skilled hands of Riccardo, a craftsman from Ponsacco, has been restored to a new, modern splendor while retaining the solidity and durability that characterize furniture built years ago.
Because true sustainability isn’t just about A++-rated air conditioners (though there’s no shortage of those), nor is it merely about lights with automatic sensors that prevent silent waste.
Sustainability also means deciding that a piece of furniture that still works has no reason to end up in a landfill.
The result is a space that feels modern and comfortable, but without that somewhat sterile “brand-new” vibe found in some rental apartments. This place has character. This place is steeped in history and love. And that’s exactly what makes it special to us.
True inclusion: spaces designed for everyone, truly
When it comes to accessibility, there is a subtle but fundamental difference between being “compliant with regulations” and being “designed to actually work.”: we decided to incorporate both concepts into our home.
A double bedroom and its bathroom have been designed entirely with people with mobility impairments in mind: the spaces, dimensions, layout, and details, everything has been thought out so that those with specific mobility needs can move about with full autonomy and dignity, without feeling like a guest in a space that wasn’t meant for them. Access to the two terraces is barrier-free: no steps, no obstacles. The exterior is as accessible as the interior. And this attention to detail doesn’t stop at the walls of the house.
Shared Experiences: Discovering Tuscany with Wander Ability
One of the best things about living in a coliving space – when it really works – is that you’re never alone unless you want to be. And here, we wanted to take that idea a step further. In collaboration with Wander Ability, a Florence-based agency specializing in inclusive travel and experiences, we’ll be organizing activities within the coliving space designed for those who want to explore, learn, and live life to the fullest. Not just generic events, but carefully curated experiences:
- Italian language courses for those who have come from abroad and want to truly immerse themselves in the language and culture.
- Tastings of typical Tuscan products such as wines, olive oils, cheeses, and truffles to understand this region through its culinary offerings.
- Daily and multi-day tours to discover lesser-known Tuscany: not the usual guidebook itineraries, but authentic, often unexpected routes that lead to places locals know but passing tourists never find.
All of this is designed to be accessible to people with mobility, visual, and hearing disabilities. Wander Ability doesn’t create “adapted versions” of experiences; it builds them to be inclusive from the start, because true inclusion isn’t an afterthought, it’s the starting point. Living here also means this: having the chance to do things together, to create real connections, to take away something that goes beyond the months spent in an apartment.
Pet friendly: because also they’re family too
If you have a dog, Scandicci welcomes you with open arms. And we welcome you even more. Sunset Terrace Scandicci coliving is 100% pet-friendly, not in the sense of “it’s okay as long as they’re out of sight,” but in the sense that your pet is part of the community, and we’ve made sure to accommodate them too. Bowls, beds, and pillows are available in the apartment, and for our feline friends, we’ve installed a cat flap so they can come and go day and night with total independence. Because if you’re living here for months, you should never have to choose between your home and your four-legged companion.
Just a few hundred meters from the house is a fully equipped dog park, ideal for daily walks. And if you want something more spacious, there’s also the Parco dell’Acciaiolo, where inside the castle there’s another area dedicated to dogs in a beautiful, green setting, with that touch of history and charm that only certain corners of Tuscany can offer.
Living in Scandicci: Everything is close by, everything is convenient
Scandicci is often thought of as “the town near Florence.” In reality, Scandicci is a town in its own right, with its own identity, its own vibrancy, and a quality of daily life that the center of Florence, with its high prices, density, and constant stream of tourists, struggles to provide, especially for those who need to stay for longer periods.
Here, right in the immediate vicinity of the house, you have everything you need to live carefree:
- Supermarkets, pharmacies, and shops, as well as a movie theater and a theater: within a few hundred meters, a convenience that becomes invaluable when you least expect to need it.
- A playground just steps from the front door: perfect if you have children with you, or simply if you enjoy the idea of a stroll between appointments.
- The Resistenza tram stop just 550 meters from home: a five-minute walk gets you on the tram, and in 15 minutes you’re right in the heart of Florence. No parking, no traffic, no stress.
- The new San Giovanni di Dio Hospital: a state-of-the-art hospital just 2 km from home, ready to respond promptly to any emergency.
You can reach Florence whenever you want – even by commuting with your bike on the tram – for an aperitif, a museum visit, work, or dinner out, and then return to your home, your own space, in the tranquility of Scandicci.
With Scandicci as your base, all of Tuscany is right at your fingertips
But while Florence is just around the corner, the rest of Tuscany is easily accessible. And from Scandicci, the distances are manageable and can be covered by rental car, bus, or train:
- Pisa and Livorno are about an hour away: the Tuscan coast awaits you for the weekend, with no need to plan anything complicated.
- Siena and the Val d’Orcia are just over an hour away: those rolling hills, rows of cypress trees, and villages that look like they’ve stepped out of a Renaissance painting. All accessible in a single day.
- San Gimignano, Volterra, Montepulciano: medieval villages that change color with the seasons and never cease to amaze.
- Lucca, with its intact walls and the atmosphere of a slow, proud city, reachable in just under an hour.
- The Chianti hills, practically right next door: vineyards, dirt roads, open wineries. The Tuscan landscape in its most authentic form.
Living here means you don’t have to give up anything. It means having Tuscany right on your doorstep and Florence as your neighborhood.
Terrace Sunset Homes: Homes Where Sunsets Tell Their Stories
Sunset Terrace Scandicci Coliving is the latest addition to the Terrace Sunset Homes family. It is a project that grows and evolves, bringing with it a piece of family history that is transformed into something vibrant and shared.
The idea is simple yet profound: homes with west-facing terraces, where sunsets aren’t just a backdrop but a daily ritual. Where, at the end of a busy day, you pause for a moment, watch the sky change color over the Tuscan hills, and remember why you chose to be here.
If you’re looking for a coliving space in Florence for an internship, a master’s program, a professional project, or simply to experience Tuscany from the inside, Sunset Terrace Scandicci Coliving might be exactly what you’re looking for.
Even if you didn’t know it yet.
Would you like to learn more or come visit us? Drop us a line! We’d love to tell you why living here is so special—maybe just as the sky outside turns orange…
