Daydreaming about Italy

that I'm here today.  Would love to be on this very bit of coastline. I've never been to Puglia, have you?

Sunny Tuscan home

                    

  

I wouldn't mind spending the summer in the sun-filled renovated Tuscan farmhouse of Belgian artist Isabelle de Borchgrave. Four of the designers' friends' families helped to transform the derelict 18th century farmhouse into a co-op to share.  Her handiwork can be seen in all the rooms, through the sunwashed colors of the walls, the painted trompe l'oeil elements on furniture, sewn curtains and interesting textiles in the ten- yes, ten- bedrooms. This house was certainly a labor of love.
Photos by Jacques Dirand for Victoria magazine

La dolce vita: Silvia Venturini Fendi's home in Ponzi

Gorgeous shots of the sunny home in the Italian hills of the island of Ponza. Love those round windows on the patio! I want to be on that patio. I'm going to stare at these and imagine being in Italy. (photos by Ditte Isager, Elle Decoration July 2010)

A villa near Vicenza: Aldo Cibic

Modern design master Aldo Cibic's Italian villa is set among hills and lemon groves near Vicenza, in the northeastern part of Italy. While the decor seems a mixture of his trademark more modern styles, the structure is quite classic, and even rustic (as in the kitchen). My favorite thing about this home, other than the heavenly setting in the lush Italian hills, is those fantastic windows! (from August 2009 Il Meglio di Ville Giardini; photos by Mads Mogensen; styling by the photographer's wife, Martina Hunglinger)

Allessandro Twombly's home in Italy

A few snippets from the 1800's farmhouse home of Allessandro Twombly (Cy Twombly's son), north of Rome. I think the simple, antique furnishings leave room for the eye to appreciate the art and the space. They renovated the rooms and decorated it simply with berber rugs, carvings from their travels and Empire furniture passed down from family. The neutral wood colors are a fitting background for the bright red and orange Cy Twombly paintings, don't you think? I think the small photos don't do the home justice- it is just beautiful, really.

His wife, Soledad, mentions she prefers to have more space and therefore hasn't crowded it with furniture. I think that's interesting; I have an empty wall that probably could use furniture but for now, I'm just keeping it empty because I like the luxury of a few spare square feet of space! This probably comes from living in small-ish city apartments. (from Elle Decor 2009, phographed by Miguel Flores-Vianna)

An Italian interior: Villa Tigliano, near Florence

While away in Italy the past couple of weeks, I found a new magazine that I am crazy about, called Il Meglio di Ville Giardini. The houses and gardens featured (not to mention the photography) are just gorgeous. I'll be posting a few of my favorites inside the 2009 collector's issue I brought home. First up: this 13th century Italian residence, called Villa Tigliano, is located not far from Florence. I can hardly imagine living in a structure so ancient and I do wonder how they have kept it up over the years. I do love the authenticity of an interior that isn't made to look old, but just is.
Characteristic of Italian style, (especially in the countryside)
simple, sparsely-placed furnishings allow the old-world interior to be the main player. (photos by Adriano Brusaferri)