CASA MOLLROSE PHOTOS COURTESY OF JEANNIE KRUIDENIER

From a suburban Pittsburgh home on the brink of condemnation to a 500-year-old property in Southern Italy that most closely resembled a pile of rubble, Jeannie Kruidenier’s choice of starting point for home renovations certainly qualifies as atypical.

Now retired, Kruidenier, who owned a carbon processing plant in Portersville with her father, moved to the Pittsburgh area six years ago after becoming intrigued by the Bradford Woods community north of the city. 

“[When] I realized that I would be here long-term and I kept driving through this neighborhood, Bradford Woods, [and] there was one house that was for sale — and it was this one,” she says. “It was actually about to be condemned.”

Despite the house’s deplorable condition — she actually discovered a bathroom she didn’t know existed behind the piles of debris — Kruidenier decided living in her dream neighborhood was worth undertaking the extensive renovation project. 

“You can imagine, about to be condemned, how bad it looked,” she says. “It had 18 tons of garbage to take out of here. There were dead animals in here; there were feces, animal feces all over, birds’ nests inside.” 

While she began the renovation journey steadfast in her commitment to send nothing to the landfill, after six full days of removing waste from the property, Kruidenier found that was an impossible task. Instead, she set her sights on repurposing whatever she could, including antique pantry doors and the house’s original front door handle.

Finished four years ago, the home’s original details today seamlessly coexist with a modern, open floor plan. There’s also a new porch that overlooks the property’s pond. Filling the home are Kruidenier’s personal treasures; along a long hallway that leads to the primary suite are various prints and pictures from her travels abroad.  

The keepsakes memorialize different chapters of Kruideneir’s life, such as the 12 years she spent living in Holland. Little did she know those prized souvenirs would also serve as omens signaling her next step — a second property overseas.

“I have these friends who live in Italy and, in particular, one girlfriend who moved to Italy, [where] she renovated a house and she introduced me to her team that did the house,” says Kruidenier.

Inspired by her friend to invest in a property in the Puglia region, Kruidenier knew this renovation would be a starkly different experience from her one in the U.S. For one, the Italian property was built in the 15th century, meaning that the renovation process would need to include equipping the property with plumbing and electricity. 

However, the opportunity felt unmissable.

“The [European Union] was offering a grant to the territory of Puglia; if you purchased a house that was 50 years or older and put it on the rental market, the government would reimburse you up to 50% of your total investment,” says Kruidenier. 

After two years of construction, plus three visits overseas by Kruidenier, the rental property in Corigliano D’otranto — dubbed Casa Mollrose after Kruidenier’s Mini Doodles Molly and Rosie —  was finished in June. 

Kruidenier already has begun renting out her Italian getaway on Airbnb, save for the time she’s reserved for her daughter and grandchildren.

With her hands full at the moment — she’s begun running a French cuisine food truck — Kruidenier has no immediate plans for another renovation, but for those inspired by her journey, she has only a single piece of advice.

“Have a budget and stick to it,” she says.