Villa Collina’s original owners loved traveling to Italy. In fact, it was their love for Italy that influenced the architectural design of the waterfront mansion. The couple specifically charged architect Karengaye Johnson with designing an estate that would bring a touch of Italy to the United States. They also tasked her with creating a mansion suitable for entertaining ambassadors and … Read More

In standard home construction projects, work commences based on review and approval of blueprints drawn by architects. As is the case with most aspects of Villa Collina, the review and approval process for building Tennessee’s largest home was much different and done on a grander scale than the norm. Instead of using blueprints and computer-generated models, the architect made three-dimensional … Read More

“Everything was perfect. Perfect location, perfect atmosphere and the perfect venue for our event.” Those are the words of Michael Torano, director of marketing and public relations for the Knoxville Opera. The event, “Under the Tuscan Moon,” was a wine dinner held in summer 2017. Organizers leveraged Villa Collina’s beauty and Italianate design in promoting the event, which also featured … Read More

A film that debuted at the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival in 2017 has ties to Villa Collina and roots in Knoxville. “The Last Movie Star,” a movie starring legend Burt Reynolds and Ariel Winter of ABC’s “Modern Family,” filmed at several iconic, local locations in 2016, including Market Square, Neyland Stadium, McGhee Tyson Airport and Villa Collina. The movie was … Read More

It’s no surprise that Villa Collina’s $5 million master suite was chosen to be featured on HGTV’s “Million Dollar Rooms” in 2011. The stunning, seven-area suite includes such luxurious details as gold inlay crown molding; Swarovski crystal chandeliers imported from Italy; handmade imported silk window treatments; and Sherle Wagner doorknobs alone valued at $200,000. The designs of the his-and-hers dressing … Read More