Can a kitchen renovation in Italy be done fully remotely?

Yes. The designer on the ground takes on the project management, works with local builders and guides the custom-work choices. The client in this case was in Bermuda and never had to travel to Lucca.

Who supervises the building work?

The designer on location. In this project Grietje worked with a local builder, directed the process and was the permanent point of contact on site.

How do you choose custom work when you cannot be there?

Through the designer: layout, materials and solutions are reviewed remotely and documented, so the builder knows exactly what has to be made.

Lucca, Tuscany

Kitchen renovation in Lucca, managed remotely

A client in Bermuda/America wanted to renovate the kitchen of her apartment in Lucca — but organising that from the other side of the world is hard. I took on the project management, together with a local builder.

In short

For a client based in Bermuda, Grietje managed the renovation of a kitchen in Lucca entirely remotely: she took on the project management, worked with a local builder and guided every custom-made choice — from first plan to delivery.

Bespoke kitchen in a Tuscan apartment with marble worktops and wooden cabinets

The brief

The client could not be on site herself. The kitchen needed a bespoke renovation, and someone had to guard the choices, direct the builder and track progress while the client was in America.

The approach

I took full charge of the project guidance: preparing and aligning the choices for the custom kitchen with the client, supervising the builder on site and making sure everything went to plan — from first sketch to completion.

The result

A beautiful end result, delivered without the client having to travel to Italy — proof that remote project management works when someone on the ground keeps the overview.

Materials & colours

Bespoke kitchen, composed together with the client remotely
Direction of a local builder
Progress reporting to the client in America

The full story

Renovating from the other side of the world

The client lived in Bermuda and owned an apartment in Lucca. The kitchen needed renovating, but organising that from the other side of the world is difficult. So I took on the project management: the client never had to be on site.

Project management with local trades

The work was carried out together with a local builder. I directed the process, kept the overview and was the point of contact on location — so the build moved forward while the client simply stayed in Bermuda.

Choosing custom work remotely

The kitchen called for custom-made choices, and I helped the client with those remotely: which layout, which materials, which solutions suited the apartment. In the end it became a beautiful project — remote project guidance works, provided it is tightly organised.

"The client was in Bermuda and did not need a single day in Lucca: with the right tradespeople around you, distance is not a problem but a schedule."
— Grietje Schreuder

Frequently asked questions about this case

Can a kitchen renovation in Italy be done fully remotely?: Yes. The designer on the ground takes on the project management, works with local builders and guides the custom-work choices. The client in this case was in Bermuda and never had to travel to Lucca.
Who supervises the building work?: The designer on location. In this project Grietje worked with a local builder, directed the process and was the permanent point of contact on site.
How do you choose custom work when you cannot be there?: Through the designer: layout, materials and solutions are reviewed remotely and documented, so the builder knows exactly what has to be made.