Arezzo Antique Market

We are back in our apartment in Citta Della Pieve in Italy and our (delightful) job ahead is to fit this place out with furniture and fittings that will turn it from a gorgeous ancient apartment, into a gorgeous ancient & comfortable home. Over the past 3months since we purchased it, I have done all this work in my mind - so now we just have to find the suitable pieces, at a price we are prepared to pay, to finish the job! Obviously this is much easier said than done, as at home in Australia I know all the suppliers and craftspeople to find the perfect pieces, but here in Italy I will have to discover and uncover. This will take time as I am not one to settle for something if it is not exactly what I am looking for - I would prefer to have nothing rather than something simply to fill a void! 

So it is lucky that as an Interior Designer I have often said to clients, that I believe the best results in a home evolve over time - it is definitely not an instant look, for to have personality, soul, and to say something about the people who live in the space, one has to discover and uncover the pieces that mean something to you. It will take every bit of the 4 months we are here this time to find exactly the right pieces, and exactly the right craftspeople to do some small renovations, in order to coincide my metal picture with the physical one!

So .... our first place of discovery was the Arezzo Antique Market which is on the first Sunday of the month and the preceding Saturday. (NOT the first weekend of the month as some people will tell you, and this weekend, with Sunday 1st January, and Saturday 31st December is an example of what they mean by this). Arezzo is a delightful town, very atmospheric with some lovely restaurants and a beautiful main Piazza where many scenes from the Italian movie "La vita é bella" (Life is Beautiful) were shot. We have been to this antique market previously and the whole town is buzzing on this weekend - it feels like a festival really. There are hundreds of stalls selling all matter of things to interest a huge range of people. It is worth visiting even if you intend to purchase nothing, for the atmosphere is alive and typical of Italian life.

Like all markets, the thrill is in the discovery!

My approach to market shopping is to have enough time to wander the whole place, and return late in the day to the items that captured my interest. This way I feel I make considered choices and if the item has already sold, then I believe it was not supposed to be mine! A fatalistic view I know, but one that works for me. So on Saturday after several hours wandering, and a very satisfying stop at our favourite Arezzo restaurant 'Antica Osteria l'Agania', serving typical Tuscan cuisine - which is incredibly flavoursome and very simple ..... we made our first purchase.

This chandelier is our first market purchase for our Italian home

The look I am wanting to achieve in this ancient Italian apartment is one of mismatched pieces that have had many a previous life - that Italian "I've belonged to this family for generations" look. It is achieved with imperfect antique furniture pieces, worn gilt pieces, marble and aged timber. It will need to be layered with rugs, paintings and nothing can be too perfect but all in their own way will be individually beautiful. But having said that, it needs to be done on a tight budget so we will need to compromise to ensure our budget and the desired look are both achieved. Our first purchase, this chandelier, looks beautiful, will be stunning in our little entry, but is glass not crystal so instead of costing thousands of Euro, we purchased it for 180 Euro - a fair compromise I feel. 

So that was Saturday. We had also seen a few other furniture pieces that had potential to fit our look and budget, but rather than purchase them immediately, I took photos and measurements and we returned home to consider them overnight. Thus a further visit on Sunday saw us purchase a gorgeous large old walnut robe for the main bedroom. Currently we are living out of suitcases as there is no robe, so this will be a welcomed addition when it is delivered to us.

With a few further pieces still being contemplated, we are delighted with our first weekend's work. These 2 items are exactly what I had in mind to achieve our "I've belonged in this apartment for ever" look. Now I just have to find an electrician to install the light, and wait for the robe to be delivered....

BACK IN ITALY SOON TO OUR NEW HOME IN CITTA DELLA PIEVE

We will soon be returning to Italy to begin the enjoyable job of fitting out our new Italian home in Citta della Pieve. If you remember the photos I posted some time ago, there is nothing new about it, except that it is new to us! The cotto floors are very uneven and dip significantly, the thick stone walls are certainly not straight, and the chestnut timber ceiling beams are gnarled and aged - and it is absolutely beautiful, has wonderful character and we are very excited about the prospect of finding just the right vintage pieces to fill the rooms. 

Some items, like beautiful bed linens, favourite books and some gorgeous fabrics I have had made into curtains for the bedrooms, we will be sending via unaccompanied luggage, an expensive but speedy way to see our things in Italy. However the majority of items we will find by wandering the markets and antique shops in small villages and towns across Europe, and over the months our little house will become a home. I will post entries along the way. 

Like many villages across Italy, Citta della Pieve has the large old walls surrounding the perimeter of the original town. These walls were used for defence and protection of the villagers. Today newer buildings have spread beyond these walls as the village has outgrown its original footprint, but the place still has the feeling of its medieval origins. Perched high on a hill on the Umbrian Tuscan border, it is the perfect place to chill out (and yes it will be cold, so we are hoping the fireplace and heating work!) and relax before leaving for Cortina D'Ampezzo to run our biggest conference of the year.

OUR NUTCRACKER COLLECTION - 19YEARS IN THE MAKING!

Some of our Nutcracker collection

No two Nutcrackers are identical and they each have their own personalities

Traditions have a funny way of sneaking up on you, I feel. Many years ago when my younger son F was celebrating his very first Christmas, my parents gave him and his older brother O, a beautiful nutcracker after we had been listening to Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite. The following year, they gave O & F another nutcracker for Christmas, and now 19 years later, they have given them one every year since, and as a family we have developed a wonderful Christmas tradition along the way! We have written the year under the base of each one, and no two are identical. Each year they make us laugh as they line up across the table to celebrate Christmas. Yearly we all repeat the same jokes - about the 'leanness'  of the year relating to the little nutcrackers or particularly skinny ones, or the success of the years relating to the fat/large ones. We each have our favourites, plus nick names for many of them, and they have now become part of the fabric of our family and a wonderful source of entertainment for us all. One day when O & F leave home we will split the collection, but whatever happens we will continue to add a new nutcracker each year. These 'little men' give us such delight for the 4 weeks they show their faces each year!  

Our Nutcrackers have become the only Christmas decoration we display each year as they have such visual impact!

They do actually crack nuts, with their movable mouth, but we rarely use them for this purpose!

This centre Nutcracker is our 2011 addition - our 19th one!! My favourite is on the left of this photo

I love a sparkle!

A FEW FAVOURITE PLACES TO EAT & DRINK IN FLORENCE

We were recently running a conference in Florence, and after many visits there over the years we have a few favourite places we visit to eat & drink.  

Life is too short for ordinary food ..... 

Choosing favourite places to eat & drink in any city is a very subjective thing - not just because the writer has particular preferences for food, interior decor & mood of a place, but also because one may have struck a place on a particularly good/bad occasion or chosen particularly well/badly from the menu. So listing the places I enjoy frequenting when we are in Florence means I am putting my neck out, but I am doing it anyway! My preference is always for good honest local food with simple but efficient service, as opposed to silver service - so these places are lovely, but certainly not glamorous. 

A delightful wine bar 
LE VOLPE E L'UVA (the fox & the grape) Piazza dei Rossi 

Whether you are a wine expert or novice you will enjoy sitting at the bar in this atmospheric enotecca which is situated between the Ponte Vecchio and the Pitti Palace. The sommeliers have collected a large variety of mostly Italian wines which are available by the glass, and together with a plate of local cheese and meats it is a perfect spot for a light lunch or dinner. We love that it attracts a local crowd who the friendly staff seem to know, so you don't feel like a tourist even though right in the midst of tourist central.   

Photo from www.levolpeeluva.com

A wonderful Panini Bar

DA'VINATTIERI Via Santa Margherita 4r  Conveniently located under a medieval vault in case of inclement weather, this tiny hole in the wall has exterior stools for seating. It sells very simple, local food - a good selection of panini and a few choices of bean/pasta dishes washed down with local wines by the glass. Fabulous for a short break in a tourist's busy day, but one that will reinvigorate you to continue the impossible task of seeing all that Florence has to offer. (A beautiful traditional leather shop is opposite - he hand crafts superb leather boxes by moulding them over timber blocks, so be sure to check it out also.)

A great bread shop 

CANTINETTA DEI VERRAZZANO Via Dei Tavolini 18/20R Not all Italian bread shops are created equal,  so make sure you go to the best! This one offers a very good cup of coffee, either standing at a beautiful marble bar or seated at tiny tables, many varieties of bread/tarts/cakes in the bread shop, or a small restaurant for a quick meal - but my favourite is the delectable seasonal foccacia served directly from the oven. It is a wonderful pit stop in the middle of the day, or simply a great place to buy fabulous bread for your meal.

Photo from www.verrazzano.com

A lovely restaurant to enjoy an intimate dinner

ORA D'ARIA Via dei Georgofili 11R

Located opposite the old jail, the name colloquially means 'hour of the air' and refers to an inmate's one hour of daily exercise time. In contrast to many of the traditional eating places in Florence, the menu at Ora D'Aria is modern and innovative. We find the environment quiet, and the decor contemporary and stylish - particularly the wonderful view of the open kitchen - it is a place worth luxuriating for awhile. A few weeks ago I read that Ora D'Aria received its first Michelin star, so if you are a foodie, then it is worth visiting for this.

A lovely (if noisy)Trattoria  
RISTORANTE IL LATINI 6r (Palazzo Rucellai) 50123 Firenze tel (+39) 055210916

We like this place even though I am warning you it is noisy, busy and can be quite raucous. The food is Tuscan favourites, served in good portions by happy waiters who like a chat. Rustic traditional food rules the menu and there is a good choice of options. The house wine served in chianti bottles is reasonable and well priced. 

Photo from www.illatini.com

A rustic Tuscan Trattoria
TRATTORIA ANGIOLINO Via Santo Spirito 36/R Recently we were lucky enough to coincide our Florentine visit with a good friend of mine from Sydney, and this is the place we all went for a lovely Tuscan meal of good pasta and vegetables. I know the place is known for its Bistecca Fiorentina, but I love the vegetables or a simple pasta dish, as a huge chunk of meat is rarely my thing. A traditional Tuscan menu and rustic simple tablecloths add to the simplicity of this place. 

Fabulous Gelateria

GROM Via del Campanile (and many other places in Italy as due to a fabulous product their popularity is spreading rapidly). There will be little disagreement with this choice as many people rate this Gelateria very highly. Inspired by the slow food movement, the gelati in this establishment is made with fresh seasonal fruits, no colorings or artificial additives and a host of other high ingredients. Flavours vary with seasons but are always interesting exciting and some of the most wonderfully intense tastes you can have. Queues can be very long but it is absolutely worth waiting for! At the same price as other ordinary establishments, why go anywhere else?  http://www.grom.it/eng/index.php

If you have some other places that you love to visit send me an email - I would love to try some of your recommendations.

VISUAL IMPACT

As a Designer, I am wired to see the visual of life - be that in nature - the captivating light of sunset, and the variation of colour in autumn leaves, or in the built environment with architectural elements or clever product display/packaging. I also enjoy how a simple element such as colour, can have monumental impact. 

So I am adding some photos I have taken recently which I feet capture the 'visual' well. 

 This red & white striped shop is a butcher shop in Panzano Italy - certainly one which will not be missed, and I love how the mustard exterior of the neighbouring building compliments it.

Window display in a Roman shop - a strong visual impact to display watches by simply using coloured straws in perspex boxes

A shop selling paint powders in Venice displays them in purpose built timber boxes - the colour is a visual feast for passers by

This wisteria hanging in a private garden in Citta della Pieve Italy is magnificent

The shape of these security bars on these windows turns function into a feature

I love the architectural detail of the timber junctions and ceiling detail in this interior

The magnificently intricate Art Nouveau mosaics of Cafe Imperial in Prague. Built in 1914 it is certainly worth a coffee, wine or meal here so you can take in the beauty of the craftsmanship 

Ospedale degli Innocenti - Filippo Brunelleschi, 1419. (The hospital of the Innocents)

Located only a short walking distance from the main tourist attractions in Florence is a magnificent architectural building often missed by tourists, 'Ospedale deli Innocenti' (the hospital of the innocents). Designed by Filippo Brunelleschi in 1419 it is considered one of the early examples of Renaissance architecture.

This building began its life in 1445 as a foundling hospital (similar to a modern day orphanage) through the generosity of the silk merchants guild, one of the wealthiest guilds in Florence. The architectural importance of the building lies in the elegant nine bay colonnaded façade, and its clear sense of proportion and order. The size, height, and distance between the columns contributed to the sense of regularity and geometric order which became an important element in Renaissance architecture. 

Above each column, is an intense blue glazed ceramic tondo designed by Andrea della Robbia in 1490, with a design that features a baby in swaddling clothes, a reference to the use of the building. Babies were anonymously left in a basin at one end of the portico, which was replaced in 1660 by a wheel that enabled babies to enter the building without the parent being seen. Above is a moving inscription in Latin taken from Psalm XXVI: "Pater et mater reliquerunt nos, Dominus autem assumpsit" – "Our father and mother have forsaken us, the Lord has taken us in".

The elegant colonnade on the facade of the building

The place where babies were anonymously abandoned.

I have visited this elegant building many times previously, but my recent visit was the first time I have been inside. The interior is as elegant and well proportioned as the exterior and houses a small but lovely art museum. 

A Beautiful painting by Domenico Ghirlandaio (1449-1494) is one of the significant artworks housed in the museum

The interior courtyard is beautifully proportioned and has a serene calm about it

A HOME IN CITTA DELLA PIEVE, UMBRIA ITALY

For the past 2 years, L and I have been looking to buy a small home in Italy. One would think when you have an entire country in which to look, that the process would be reasonably easy. However it has proved rather tricky, for it is only after seeing places that are not suitable, can you clearly define the parameters of what is important in the quest for a home under the Italian sun. In the end we decided we could not compromise on the following factors - 
1.An old home with original characteristic appearance including terracotta floors, gnarled timber beams & thick stone walls
2.Within the old city walls of whatever place we chose
3.Within easy access to a major airport and close to major arterial roads
4.Local amenities such as restaurants and services within walking distance from the home. 
5.An area to be able to sit outdoors - a small balcony or a loggia, but somewhere to enjoy a wine in the Italian sun
6.Our limited budget! 
So, after looking at many different regions and countless houses in each of those regions, 6 months ago we found a small town called Citta Della Pieve on the Tuscan/Umbrian border and it is absolutely delightful. It ticked all of our boxes. In this town we looked at a quite a number of homes and then found one we fell in love with. After negotiations from Australia and a trip back to sign the initial contract, just over 6 months later, we have celebrated our first night here! And we couldn't be happier with our choice!


It is certainly characteristic, in a building which the previous owners told us was built around 1650. It was part of a large palazzo which was subdivided 20years ago and they restored it with simplicity and a light hand. It has been their holiday home for these 20years and their creative personalities have produced painted walls and ceilings in most of the rooms (not all will stay... but time will tell as to what replaces them). It has cotto (terracotta) floors which dip significantly all over, thick walls which are a long way from straight and monumental old timber beams to hold the ceiling up. It is not large and certainly not grand, but absolutely perfect for us, with a loggia (covered terrace) that has an arched terracotta roof and a sign embed on the wall which states it was restored in 1843. The view from where I sit as I write this post is out to the magnificent countryside and mountains in the surrounding area. I have no doubt we shall spend many hours in this exact spot working on our computers or simply sharing a glass of wine with each other.


So here are some photos -

The entry to the communal ingresso is the door shown here. Unlike any other places we looked at, over the past 2 yrs, this apartment is on the ground floor (therefore no stairs, which in Italy can be particularly onerous) yet the loggia (covered terrace) at the back is elevated one level due to the slope of the land - a perfect scenario really! 

 View from our loggia

 The loggia with beautiful old arched roof

The Living room with original fireplace (that we are told works very well) and paint colour that was reproduced from sample chips found under layers of other paint. Imperfect beautiful cotto floors and timber beams that have stood in place for almost half a millennia.  

 The previous owners painted the entry vestibule in precise detail. The 2nd bedroom entry is on the left of this photo and the living room entry is to the right.

 Our beautiful historic loggia

The view down the lane way outside the 2nd bedroom window 

Currently we are camping in a way - a new air bed mattress (which is surprisingly comfortable) and a table and chairs left by the previous owners are the sum total of our current furniture, but it couldn't be better as we are so delighted to call this piece of history our home.

There are definitely things that I would like to do to this home (all Designers like to stamp a place with their own ideas), but in the first instance we will just take it slowly and think. We intend to spend some months here in the beginning of 2012 so it will give us time to consider the choice of furnishings and to enjoy the process of gathering pieces that will make it our home and a reflection of us. I imagine it to have a collection of mismatched antique/2nd hand finds with personality, warmth and soul - not too perfect, but 'lived in' and real. Comfortable furniture to sink into and read a good book and a place to sit and relax while I beat L in a game of Scrabble, are also essential.

Winter is cold, and Summer is hot in this part of the world, so the interior choices will need to accommodate both ends of the climatic spectrum.  

So after 3 months here, from Christmas this year, and hopefully fully furnished with a collection of finds, this home will then be ready for holiday rental. With only one and a half hours by train to both Rome and Florence (we sit almost exactly half way between the two), it is a wonderfully central location to discover Italy and still relax in the laid back nature of the Italian countryside. In addition, one can sit on the loggia and enjoy the beautiful produce and wine from the surrounding region. 

La Vita e Bella! Carpe Diem!