Vita Lenta nel Bel Paese

Ex Stalle

2011-09-26T10:40:00.000+02:00

Voluntary quarantine. A long hot summer. Camera and computer on vacation.

Myself? Concentrating on the former pigsty and sheep stalls. A condominium of mice and scorpions, as we

found it.

Now opening up for flow of space and flow of light.

Contrary to many renovators of farmhouses, we keep the original upside-down layout. Kitchen and living-area above, where daylight is optimal. Converted stalle our sleeping-area. Keeping us cool during the hot season.

On-site presence essential. Planning a house on paper is one thing. Facing realities is another.Here the architetto, literally in a brown study. Going "wide on the mark".

Problem-solving. Leaving no stone untouched. Removing "uglies" from the 60s. Finding and recycling old materials for the right patina of age. For the right image of "imperfection".

Requiring a crew of skilled craftsmen. With a high level of artistic qualities....

and a good sense of humour. A restoration project means hard manual work. Keeping spirits up affects the result....

To be continued... A presto, Ingrid

Bella Amicizia - on Mykonos

2011-08-17T10:57:00.015+02:00

Changing environment. Changing palette. Mykonos, Greece.

Captivated by the Cycladic light. Dazzling white emphasized by daubs of pastel colours.

The Aegean sea from my window. A strong wind following me from early morning into late night.

Visiting a dear friend.

My little "party camera" taking in the cubical, whitewashed folk architecture.

Closing its eye to the brick-à-brack souvenir shops along the labyrinthian lanes of the Chora.
My friend taking me back stage.....

To a family festa in one of the countryside parish churches....

To back street hole-in-the-wall restaurants or a lagoon in the wilds. Paying friens a visit and...

guiding me among the remains of the mythical island of Delos. Bella amicizia! Getting to know un unfamiliar place through the eyes of a dear friend is just right.

Next week off for Stockholm. Change of scene - again. Except.... here I can go blindfolded. Enjoy the rest of August, wherever you are! Bacione, Ingrid.

Muted Palette

2011-07-13T10:54:00.008+02:00

Umbrian country exteriors. A muted palette of grey, beige, rusty red and pink.

A tapestry of stone, terracotta brick and earth-coloured stucco.

An archeological jigsaw of extensions in the course of time. Leaving us with ghost windows and door openings. Here even the door holders were preserved, when the door was closed.

Raise your eyes, as you stroll the lanes of an Umbrian medieval borgo. The façades reveal innumerable footprints. A muted palette with objects. Once for everyday use. Today works of art. Still low-keyed. Former generations of craftsmen left us with wrought-iron nose rings,

Candle and fire holders - still frequently used in the after-dark summer feste. Decorative objects in daytime. Just to mention a few.

Off for Mykonos tomorrow. Looking forward to architectural contrasts - of vibrant white and blues. Enjoy summer, wherever you are! Bacione, Ingrid

Blessed Oliveland

2011-07-06T17:09:00.008+02:00

Endless silver green slopes. Olive trees. I am in Oliveland. Green all year round. Blessed!

Dry season. Keeps us all in check. Watering the garden twice a day. All in vain. Plants collapse.

Olive trees. My best friends. Sculptural. Graceful. Rewarding. As are the grape-vines. Both will be leading actresses in my Trevi cortili, courtyards. Rusty corten steel cladding.

Pergole for the vines.

Shaded by olive branches and stems of vine. A huge barrel bathtub to cool off. What more do you need, when it is blazing hot. And it is right now! In Umbria. Enjoy summer, everyone! Bacione, Ingrid

Integrating a Garden

2011-06-01T11:22:00.014+02:00

When restoring our farmhouse, the garden makes an integral part. Our vision is an oasis within the massive old walls. One of the reasons we chose our architect crew for our project.

We share the same ideal. Incorporating our garden into a complete setting, creating outdoor rooms. The garden as our salotto al fresco, since we spend most of the year outside. (First photo from estate agent)

Paving our courtyards, cortili, is now on the agenda. Taking our courtyards back to what they once were. Cobbled with elements of terracotta tiles, selciata. Here a close-up from the main entrance.

The former animals' corte was just earth. This leaves us with a range of possibilities. Recycled flag stones or

developing a pattern for, again, salvaged terracotta tiles - here a herringbone pattern.

whereas we are looking for old slabs of pietra serena for the pool area.

Considering the hot, dry Umbrian summer months. Considering a reduction of water consumption, we will not include grassy spaces. The green will be of horizontal design. But that is another story.

Scouting salvage yards for old building materials takes time and patience. But is worth every effort. Bricks with patina make all the difference compared to new ones. What do you think? Enjoy your week, everyone! Bacione, Ingrid

Umbrian "Scentogram"

2011-05-20T11:46:00.015+02:00

Sending you a spring flowergram from Umbria. Or rather a "scentogram".

Heady jasmine perfumes in my garden. Morning walks, surrounded by broom.
Seize every moment.... before the summer drought.

When watering is futile...

under a merciless sun.

The dry season means a change of scene. Into hardy décor...

and objects. Not that I mind. Each Umbrian season has the power to charm. You just have to add that "little extra". Enjoy your weekend, everyone! Bacione, Ingrid.

Tomorrow is Another Day

2011-05-09T14:08:00.011+02:00

Countryside Italy means "local time". Planning ahead. Time-line. Schedule... You may as well forget. Here "Wait and see..." is part of the life-style.

It has taken me quite some time to learn and appreciate the "state of things". That tomorrow is another day.

Ten months for building permits. Due next week, if we are lucky. How about that?

Making waiting time worth while. Filling the gaps is my way of keeping up good spirits.

Taking my camera for a stroll. Scouting for inspiration. Luckily Umbria offers an endless source of inspiration.

Here from my collection of water taps.

Working manually. Doing my chore. Saving antique terracotta floors from destruction. Piling these treasures carefully. Floors we will recycle and reuse in the restoration.

Enjoy your week, everyone! Bacione, Ingrid

Hat Parade

2011-04-28T14:16:00.006+02:00

Easter lunch. High spirits. Hats cocked on one side. Enjoying jucy citrus starters with tuna/anchovy mousse.

Spring. An incessant source of energy. From a broad-brimmed hat. My reading list is long at this time of the year.

Striking sun. Dazzling. Almost overwhelming without a hat collection. Borsalino, cowboy... Trendy, vintage... Every man to his taste.

Enjoy May under a brim, wherever you are! Bacione, Ingrid

Buona Pasqua!

2011-04-20T15:41:00.014+02:00

Italy is currently in the tricolore, celebrating the 150th anniversary of national unity. Evviva! My contribution is a tricolore papier maché neclace, designer Cinzia Verni.

Easter is in bloom. Temperatures call for outdoor life...

A tour on your Vespa...

a pause in the shade...

Luckily there is air-conditioning...

and crystal clear water...

not to mention the best gelato al limone in the world. Buona pasqua, wherever you are! Enjoy!Ingrid

Project in Progress

2011-03-13T14:53:00.015+01:00

Hitting the roads of the Spoleto valley. Again. Currently "studying" restoration projects. This time exteriors. For me to learn more. Sorting out a building constructor per excellence.

One day you find yourself struck by lightning. The remains of a stone house. A garden, overgrown with weeds. A view to die for. Instant love, colpo di fulmine. And you are fully convinced. This is going to be the home of your dreams.

Before you know it, you find yourself the owner of a former farmer's home. In your eyes a Sleeping Beauty. Wide awake, you realize professional assistance is most needed.

A successful restoration project is the result of awareness, conscientiousness and dialogue.

Paying local traditions respect. Before your eyes is a genuine Umbrian farmhouse. Yet a home, not a museum.

Combining technical know-how and aesthetics. Paying attention to detail. A marriage between old and modern times.

Fruitful dialogue with your interpreter/architect. In order to implement your vision, foresee the range of possibilities and complications, or even avoid pitfalls.

Skilled craftsmen, rooted in local building traditions, with a sensitive ear and an eye for artistery will make your design come true.

A long process, almost a year of preparations. All worth while. At least to keep my head above water. It has been - and still is - a learning process.

Enjoy your week, everyone! Bacione, Ingrid

Free Cycling

2011-02-22T14:38:00.015+01:00

Good quality vintage and recycled elements make good environmental sense.

But you can forget about bargain-hunting these days. You are not the only one, opting for architectural salvage for your restoration project.

To me, restoring an old house means paying respect, still avoiding the stereotype idea of "an old Italian farmhouse". It is just that...

Reclaimed basins simply have more character than new production.

Reused terracotta urns, already patinated, blend so well with your original pavement.

Period style fixtures and fittings, instead of installing new ones, add the finishing touch.

Old coppi, tiles, for the roofs accompany your aged stone walls.

A "Modern Retro" garden sofa. The idea is to contrast old fittings with modern life style.

Enjoy your week everyone! Bacione, Ingrid

Pastels

2011-02-06T17:39:00.014+01:00

Found this "Mondrian blue" ladder the other day. February. "Mondrian skies" as well.

But we still have to bide our time. Until Umbria is in full bloom.... I miss pastels!

I relly could consider these Emu/Patricia Urquiola pastel Retrouvé wire chairs for my off season garden.

These multi-coloured doors are also on my list. For built-in wardrobes. Found in a salvage yard.

My birthday tomorrow. And my wishlist is loooong. This pea-green broom would cheer me up - if nothing else.

A palette of stone, earth, terracotta and off white. My everyday treat. Time for some pastel accessoires. Bacione, Ingrid

Jigsaw Architecture

2011-01-30T11:33:00.012+01:00

Stone architecture. The façades of Umbrian rustic masonry. Captivating. Textured.

Quality and colour varying from one province to another. A jigsaw puzzle. Whatever materials were available. Here ghost windows and doors.

In the course of time... Growing families. Altered. Added on.

I am fascinated by these stone walls. Stone is the natural resource of our region. Used for centuries. The basis of a rural house. Once a no-cost building material. Found naturally in the fields.

Massive. Solid. Roughly-hewn. With character. Large stones anchor a construction. Smaller stones and pieces of brick and tile fill in the gaps.

Giving evidence of a peasant culture. Daily life with animals. Farming. Producing olive oil and wine.

Sometimes stuccoed or partly plastered. Earth colours. A town house even ornamented.

Striking features. A stroll in the countryside or a village tour... Focussing on the stone façades is an aesthetic experince. In tune with history.

Enjoy this first week of Febryary, everyone! Bacione, Ingrid

Thumbs up!

2011-01-23T12:41:00.011+01:00

At least half-way. Building permits have been granted by the local authority, the Commissione.

Nearly four months of nitty gritties. Of finding ways to integrate solar panels, without changing the townscape. Intricate. A delicate matter in a centro storico, historic centre. And, obviously, not an everyday issue.

Expertise involved. Apart from the architect. A geologist and two engineers. Know-how had to be built. Inventiveness needed.

Problem shooting. Valuable lessons. final drawings accepted. Hurray!

Midway. Next stop is the regional authority. Construction safety is crucial. Solid rock is no guarantee, where earthquakes may occur. Rigorous regulations for an anti-seismic construction. Another three months of waiting.

And yet another twelve months, before we can have the chiave in mano, before we can turn the key... In Italy everything comes to those (wily birds) who are capable of waiting. Here patience, perseverance and ingenuity are virtues. Compliments to our Italian team of professionals!

Enjoy your week, everyone! Bacione, Ingrid

First Flush

2011-01-16T17:36:00.008+01:00

of spring? Or just a capricious outburst. January is unpredictable. Right now. As good as it gets. Sunny and mild. We seize every second of daylight and savour it. Here is to share with you:

Bottle-green “sun panels”. Put your hand on them, and you will recall summer.

Ready to take the plunge. Transported with joy.

Repealing the law of gravity.

All senses open, we envision what we yearned for. But put off, when darkness fell.

Zest for life. Playful mood.

Batteries recharged. Wishful…

Buon proseguimento! To all of you. Bacione, Ingrid

Nextopia

2011-01-01T12:44:00.009+01:00

New year. Expectations? Curiosity? Excitement? I guess I am not the only one.

What about allowing ourselves to see what is round the corner this year? 365 days of fabulous moments, waiting for our decision. To stay put or weigh anchor…

Opening our eyes to the unexpected. Taking advantage, when opportunity knocks. Trying new ideas...

... dumping unnecessaries.

What if we scratch ourselves in the jump? Leaving our comfort zones does not mean we will break our necks. The sense of well-being will heal our wounds, I am sure.

Following our inner compass, our passion, our dreams. And there will be no regrets, when balancing the books at the end of the year.

Courage is all it takes. Easier said then done. But let us try one jump at a time. And we will realise there is nothing to lose. Embarking upon our voyage of discovery, and our lives will be a patchwork of experiences and enjoyable occasions. Let’s go aboard, and keep each other posted along the way!

Pictures and reflections from a turn-of-the year walk in the neighbourhood. Blog title from Professor Micael Dahlén, Nextopia - Livet, lyckan och pengarna i förväntningssamhället (2008)

Bright Christmas

2010-12-24T11:30:00.010+01:00

Back from polar-climate Stockholm, covered in white, to scirocco Umbria.

Warm African winds. Rain and sunny spells. Everyone trying to create a Christmas atmosphere. A Trevi restaurant preparing for Pranzo di Natale.

A bright Christmas – when not white. My casa. Candles everywhere. “Solitaires” or grouped together. Silver, brass and wrought iron. Un unconventional mix.

And Christmas is all about food. A delightful medley of Umbrian delicatessen from my favourite “hole in the wall”.

And Swedish home made. The “bowl of temptation”, filled with goodies and fruit in season. Centrally positioned in the kitchen. Whenever we are in the mood…

Dressing up for the grande feste natalizie. Well, the underwear was just window-shopping.

But I would certainly go for the chocolate necklace (by Tuscan/Umbrian designer Cinzia Verni).

Wish you all a bright Christmas and an even brighter New Year. I will be back in 2011. Until then, bacione! Ingrid

Su e giù

2010-12-12T15:05:00.012+01:00

Ups and downs. Va su e giù.

A tour to Perugia. Faces towards the sun. Twenty degrees – above zero(!)

Two days later. La vie en beige.

Temperatures falling ten degrees. The cold goes right through you.

Huddle ourselves up in front of a fire.

Raising the temperature by a splash of red.

Taking a deep breath. Off for an arctic week in Stockholm. See you again before Christmas and le feste natalizie! Keep warm, everyone! Bacione, Ingrid

Home is Where your Heart is

2010-12-06T14:18:00.004+01:00

And I feel rich. Umbrian rural simplicity. Swedish heritage and provenance. Both much at heart. Two cultures to call my home.

Ninni, Fotografia, put us on to a documentary on Lars Sjoberg and his passionate concern for the preservation of Swedish historic houses, accompanied by Ingalill Snitt's stunning photo. Not to be missed! Even if you do not understand Lars's poetic Swedish text, photography is universal.

Lars and Ingalill have also published several works on Swedish architecture and interior design. Three of the books were translated into English: The Swedish Room, The Swedish House and Classic Swedsh Interiors. Great sources of inspiration! Bacione, Ingrid

Mid Season or Every Cloud has a Silver Lining

2010-11-30T11:12:00.008+01:00

Autumn. No doubt. The cold season at our doorstep. We are right now squeezed between two climatic zones. A battle between polar winds and African humidity. In other words … rain.

with sunny intervals (window from a pigsty to be transformed into a kitchen – not mine).

“Baton-changing”. Dramatic. Not a dull moment.

Well into the olive season. Tasted the first drops of our non-filtered extra virgine mid October.

My camera taking a good rest, though. Only ocassional awakenings. Catching soft colours. Here a still life from Panicale, a borgo overlooking the Lago Trasimeno.

Window shopping in Rome. A Hermès bicycle. Wishful thinking. Not worth considering sotto la pioggia! Pouring rain.

But then … as if by a stroke of magic… glorious weather. Here the “flip-side” of Piazza di Spagna.

Every cloud has a silver lining. Enjoy your week, everyone! Bacione, Ingrid

"Leavesdropping"

2010-11-05T14:52:00.009+01:00

Days quite agreeable still. Yesterday a giro up to the Lake (Trasimeno). Oh, how I wish temperatures could stay!

Linger in the sun. My senses all warm. Eyes shut… Even the birds signal “warm season”.

To be on the safe side… Already carrying my winter woollies as from now.

Opening my eyes. Leaves dropping.

Seasoned. Rustling. I even like the sound of autumn.

Wish you all a pleasant autumn weekend. I’m off for the Festa dell’olio nuovo, Trevi.
Bacione, Ingrid

L'Ognissanti

2010-10-31T10:08:00.013+01:00

All Saints' here in Italy. Monday 1 November. Festa di Tutti i Santi.

Happens to be a gloomy weekend. Overcast, dull. Summer was only yesterday... Could do with some tinta di zucca, pumpkin colour. Luckily my camera remembers. Here an earth coloured wall, Pompei.

One of the innumerable terracotta drain-pipes in Sassi di Matera.

Colourful ventilator design, again from Sassi.

The sun reflecting the pink stone facade of the Cattedrale di San Emiliano, Trevi.

The closest I get to Halloween, a scary "totem" decor, Eggi.

Festa di Ognissanti. Tables laid for lunch. Indoors.

Enjoy your All Saints' Day, whether in the sun or in front of a fireplace. Auguri! Ingrid

Weekend Spontaneity

2010-10-24T19:19:00.012+02:00

What are your weekends like? Mine are – and always were – very “ad hoc”. Pure intuition. Whatever enters my head. According to circumstances. Following my inner voice.

Following-up. Writing mails, commenting on creative blogs, making phone-calls.
This weekend in particular:

Taking care of the uva fragola my neighbours brought me. Fresca, fresca. Juice and jelly. Winter breakfast Vitamin C!

Practising one of the vegetarian recipes from this week's cooking course in Trevi.

Zuppa di ceci e patate. The scent of rosemary in the kitchen. The perfect treat, after a week of influenza.

Planning the design of my kitchen-to-be.

Plenty of time for reflexions and plans ahead. Precious weekends! Precious spontaneity!

Hope you too had a fruitful weekend! Bacione, Ingrid

Staying in a 12th Century Church

2010-10-15T10:45:00.014+02:00

A converted 12th Century Benedictine church. We’re in the ravine-edged quarters of Sassi Barisano, built into and over the caves of old town Matera, in Basilicata.

High up in one of the narrow sassi lanes, a boutique hotel, L’Hotel in Pietra, overlooking the old town and the duomo.

Exposed, warm gold stone walls. Interiors kept simple. A mix of modernist touches, arte povera and ethnic décor.

Breakfast under the looping tall church arches

A laid-back, relaxed atmosphere. Owners always present.

The eight rooms, carved into the rock. A mix of simplicity and an exquisite atmosphere, enriched by a very personal touch. The interiors and the antique architecture in a happy marriage.

Brought quite a few ideas back home for my own restoration project. Ideas for my future bathrooms in particular. Pictures, where not my own, from the hotel web site http://www.hotelinpietra.it/

Matera impressions to be continued… Enjoy your weekend, wherever you are! Bacione, Ingrid

Stunts on Holiday

2010-10-08T14:58:00.012+02:00

Our two stunts will be excused for a week. Need a break. Leaving them at a nearby B&B. Hope to pick our darlings up as fit as fiddles - again.

The two champions (translate into “marauders”) have had a tough season. Exploring gardens, chasing cats, getting into mischief....

Live wires. Full of ideas. Crafty. Always up to something.

Godsent busy bees. Excellent diggers. Super fertilizers.

Minnie and Topolino. Bosom friends. Unreserved love and affection. Enjoy your rendezous!

To be honest. Their master and mistress need to be on their own as well. Heading south. Sassi di Matera. A mini-holiday. While the weather is still “late summer”. Will report back. See you in a week! Bacione, Ingrid

Sto Bene Qui. A Handful of Reasons

2010-10-02T18:02:00.014+02:00

I never took the easy way out, since I left university. But then I have never been disappionted at the very end. Jumping. Broke my leg once or twice. Looking round the corner. Burnt my fingers too. But my jumps and side-tracks took me to unknown ground, well worth exploring. And my eyes opened to the realms of possibility.

How could I leave Volvoland for Italy? And why did I then end up in Umbria? A return ticket Rome – Stockholm made me reflect.

You do not have to hate one for the love of another. At least I don’t. My Scanditalian life is a “happy marriage”.

Actually. Umbria was pure coincidence – and a looong story – but proved the perfect home away from home. Out of a hundred reasons…

Wild scenery. Open country. Air. Giving me peace of mind.

Rural hilltop villages. A stone’s throw from the metropolitan city.

Solitude or bustling town life. Whenever I’m in the mood.

Mild autumns and early spring. Outdoor life and excursions almost all year round.

Patina. Texture and colours of stone, clay and weather-beaten wood.

“Everyday” design wherever.

As well as odd details. Giving my eyes a feast.

Not to mention local produce and the cuisine. Body language says “ottimo”.

Umbria. A mixture of dejà vue and intriguing surprises, pulling my trigger. Sto bene qui. Bacione, Ingrid.

Now is the Time...

2010-09-14T11:05:00.010+02:00

Now is the time to enjoy an Umbrian garden.

Baby citrus fruit, agrumi. Chinotto, kumquat and limone ripening in the mild climate. Delightful fragrances! The sun condensed and preserved.

Pansies and cyclamen replacing the dried and dead skeleton plants.

Faithful friends have grown pretty wild lately, like this white solanum jasminoides.

While my Scandinavian friends already talk about the autumn, we may yet linger and enjoy.

Scandinavian autumn. I feel privleged. Off tomorrow for a week. Different colours. Another cuisine. Stockholm, here I come! Open your pantry - of mushrooms, crayfish, "almond potatoes", "vasterbotten cheese".... Short intermission. Back in a week. Until then... bacione, Ingrid

Salvage Spotting – Part One

2010-09-03T10:53:00.012+02:00

Hunting season has started. Gunning for salvaged building materials. Boring? On the contrary. You easily get into the habit.

Salvage yards. Like enormous parking lots, jammed with recuperated goods – of all kinds. Screening out the “goodies”, you will have to bring your magnifying glass and, preferably, know what you are looking for. And you need time and patience. I’m on the lookout for:

Rustic stone basins for my future bathrooms and exteriors.

This time I was lucky. I found one (!) Now that I’m on the trail… hopefully I will find a few more.

And bathroom “tiling”. A fragment will be just right.

The terracotta fragments, we already found, will add the finishing touch.

Talking riddles? Here is one of the clippings (Côte Maison) I saved for my inspiration.

Also looking for rust. Gates, screens, poles for the two pergolas…

And supplementary terracotta roof tiles and flooring.

Cultural and environmental awareness. Sustainable restorations. Going “green”. A current movement. Salvaged building materials, materiali di recupero per restauri, are therefore by no means inexpensive. But restoring an old house is a commitment. Finding one with all the antique details preserved, is a gold-mine. Often you find it more or less emptied. Luckily you may spot some of the cultural heritage intact. You just have to go hunting. Have a good day’s sport. Buon divertimento! Ingrid

Catchy

2010-08-24T12:15:00.011+02:00

Lazy Sunday afternoon. Have to activate ourselves. What’s up? A guided tour in San Gemini, one of the Borghi più Belli, and only a stone’s throw from our hamlet. We’re off.

Churches, abbeys, cloisters, cisterns, a Roman dwelling… Dates, tales, history. I cincerely hope noone will interview me afterwards. My ears hardly registering any details. My eyes catching every inch of décor, colour, texture. My palate stimulated at least for the rest of the day.

The meticulous design of mosaic flooring. Here from a private Roman garden.

Stop counting the urns and pottery along the walk. Aging clay. Gives character to any back yard. Who needs a formal garden?

When opportunity knocks… I peep into each and every cortile.

A tour of cultural degustazione, guided by local people, accompanied by wine tasting and prodotti tipici, local products. Look for the town Pro Loco itinerary. An excellent way of remembering your Italian odyssey. For a long time to come. They certainly feed my creativity. Enjoy your week! Bacione, Ingrid

Ripening Ferragosto!

2010-08-13T15:49:00.013+02:00

August in Umbria. The peak of summer.

The girasoli, sunflowers, dropping off at the setting of the sun, all the power gone to their heads. Insects filling-up.

A crescendo. The climax of the fertility and ripening cycle. Despite the drought.

Some like it hot.

Others have to be brought into the shade. By hardened gardeners.

The fruit season is in “full swing”. Two of my current favourites, pesca saturna and pesca noce bianca. Gormandzing. I even love to savour their names.

And there is more to come… September, October. Ripening against heated stone walls. Sheltered along the slopes:

Grape vine,

capers,

olives…

Ferragosto, August 15. Originally, in the Roman Empire, it was celebrated to honour the gods and the cycle of fertility. Today it is one of the most important Catholic holidays in Italy. The day that the Virgin was Assunta in Cielo, transported directly to Heaven.

Earthly joys. Deeply rooted. After mass… The Pranzo di Ferragosto, Ferragosto lunch, is served. In my Umbrian borgo. Buon appetito e buon Ferragosto ! Ingrid

Decorating an Arid Garden

2010-07-29T14:11:00.017+02:00

In the middle of the hot season. Gardens in glossy magazines. Always verdant. While mine is a fearful sight. Withering. Suffocating.

Watering is futile. Gave up long ago. However… we want to enjoy our summer living room. Regardless. So I make use of objects.

Find my house so much more attractive, reflected in a green glass bowl.

Give sculptures and objets d’art an airing. In this way I can enjoy them all year round.

Mix them with rusty odds and ends, left behind by former generations.

Admire my “pocket garden” of wild Cymbalaria muralis, Kenilworth ivy, seemingly unaware of the drought.

Appreciate the texture and rusty nail-heads of the surrounding stone walls.

Hang bouquets of lavender to dry also in the open,

or a transparent silk “kite” in the laurel tree.

For garden lovers in an arid climate ... If you do not want to keep your eyes closed... add your favourite accessories to your “salotto all’aperto”.

No objects? What about a peach-coloured wall? (Photo Marie Claire Maison, Italy)

And, chin up! With the late summer rains your garden will “go green” again. Until then ... enjoy without much effort! Have a relaxing weekend! Bacione, Ingrid

House Plans Posted

2010-07-24T11:26:00.016+02:00

The design and plans for our restoration project are now to be passed by the authorities. Now we just have to wait.

Restoring a house in a centro storico, historic centre, takes know-how, good contacts and patience. Rules and regulations may easily stop you from what you want to achieve. A local specialist architect is an investment. To see beyond the impossible. To see beyond the technical nitty-gritties. Maintaining the spirit of an old farmhouse. Taking advantage of the rustic techniques, developed through centuries.

It took us four months to complete the plans. We are striving for a sustainable restoration and a comprehensive house/garden solution. Easier said than done.

Even if we are in good hands, we have been very active ourselves. Reading and looking into other projects. If you are interested in changing your lifestyle in order to reduce carbon footprints and consumption of water, Terence Conran puts his finger on a number of solutions for greener homes in his Eco House book (2009). Highly recommended!

Our new home is a typical Umbrian farmhouse on two levels. A simple building. The basement roughly finished, once providing storage and shelter for the animals. The upper area, including a central room with a hearth. The gathering place of the family. A major decision we made was to keep the layout, contrary to many restoration projects. The downstairs, ex pig sties, will be our sleeping area. The upper area, where we will spend the majority of the daylight hours will be our kitchen and living space.

A terraced house, built on solid rock, it offers an open layout, which will improve natural light and cross-ventilation. Walls will be kept unplastered or finished “al calce”, a lime-based paint with pigments. (First photo frm Marie Claire Mason, Italy)

Our strategy is also to avoid the stereotype “country house”, when updating our casa rustica.
Again it was, and should be, kept simple. Romantizising is not for us. Of course we will salvage old doors, basins, terracotta flooring and beams. We will chisel out stone arches and restore antique details.

But are not afraid of contrasting. With rustic contemporary elements. (Photos from Ville & Casali)

Six months. That is how long the permits will take. Meanwhile we will go into detail. I would look forward to any tips and hints from all of you out there. Any experience from sustainable restorations is welcome! Bacione, Ingrid

In the Shade

2010-07-19T09:21:00.002+02:00

Nedless to say. Nevertheless. Subject of conversation. Umbria is hot. Morning bustle. Midday. Shutters close. Total afternoon silence. How do we cope?

We seek shelter. Hide behind thick stone walls.

Shade is as important as sunshine. A garden with several rooms is ideal. Morning coffee in the sun. Lunch under a tree. Dinner in the portico.

My camera tries to spot design ideas, when opportunity knocks. Just loves stony Umbria. But keeps its eye open. For the unexpected. For surprises. For contrasts. Here a rusty, contemporary screen in the garden of the 14th C. ex church of San Francesco, Montefalco. (Garden furniture Patricia Urquiola for Emu).

A “bohemian chic” garden gate with a fringe.

A verandah with an insulating bonnet.

Foliage. A tree. A pergolato. Evaporating leaves add to humidity. A microclimate. Allows the air to circulate. Leaves you with fresh air to breathe.

A “stripped” terrace. Aesthetic. Sleek. Just a few pots. No canopy. Air –conditioned thanks to openings in the wall. High sunfactor recommended!

Enjoy July, wherever you are! Tante belle cose! Ingrid

Play it Cool!

2010-07-15T11:12:00.012+02:00

Seem to have one thing in common in the northern hemisphere right now. Blazing heat. Better play it cool. And take advantage. A reason as good as any to idle about. Take my advice:

Stay put. Chill your bones.

Take frequent “dips in the pot”. Walk around barefoot on the terrace slabs and the bathroom tiles.

Pamper yourself. Search your linen cupboard. Use the linen towels your grandmother left you.

Spoil your guests as well. Linen towels will strengthen your friendship. These towels from Vaxbo lin - opening their own store in Stockholm in September. Beautiful design!

As will lavender soap.

My tiny garden does not allow an outdoor shower next to the vasca. Outdoor shower on a private Sardinian terrace.

Showering al fresco is a priority in my next home. There is a perfect corner below the projected piscina. (Photo, source unknown)

Have a cool weekend, everyone! Bacione, Ingrid

As Clear as Crystal

2010-07-12T10:54:00.017+02:00

What would we do without it? The drinking water, acqua potabile. Crystal clear. Even the birds and the bees are panting right now. Flocking round the garden tap, hoping for a drop or two.

From the mountins. Water is still abundant in this area. And free of charge. Fill your flask or jug. Drop the idea of bottled water.

You can tell spring water was always a treasure. The heart of every little town or village. Fountains were built with pride and great craftsmanship. These two from Narni and Visso.

And still today. This modern fountain from Torgiano.

The sound of cascading water. A stone basin like a mercury eye. An acquatic ornamentation adds the finishing touch to Umbrian landscaping.

As usual, I favour the simple and unpretentious, weather in an Italian garden or elsewhere.
Unfortunately. Recycled stone basins cost a fortune.

A cemented basin with a terracotta mouth in the form of a roofing tile upside down is an alternative. (Photo unknown)

Or a cut-stone basin with a humble water tap. An object of great beauty. (Photo from Tuscan Elements by Alexandra Black & Simon McBride)

Friends’ garden stone project this spring. Old stones and a terracotta sewer mouth. The cement still wet. Next time I visit, water will fill the mouth and basin.

Bringing some Italian atmosfera into your own garden. Here an example from the southern coast of Sweden. A garden fountain at Brantevik. (Photo from uppvik.nu).

Inspired? Have I pulled your trigger? Start digging! Enjoy your week! Bacione, Ingrid

Passione

2010-07-09T14:02:00.009+02:00

Passione. Emozione. Sensualità. Language of emotions. Very useful.

What words cannot express. Tango.

Tango hypnotizes me. A film in black and white. Only register a detail or two.

Staccato steps. A drama on stiletto heels.

A constant, close embrace, hands clasped. Intense.

Tango in the Montefalco Museum Complex the other evening. The 14th C. ex church of San Francesco. A perfect setting, the Benozzo Gozzoli frescoes in the background. Striking. One of those “Umbrian moments”.

Enjoy your weekend, everyone. Tante belle cose! Ingrid

Tail in the Air

2010-07-06T11:34:00.012+02:00

Hot and humid. Crammed my quadruped friends into my blue mini and headed east.

One thing I love about this area. Despite the attacs of an Afa – hot and sticky – mountains are within a stone’ s throw. Ideal for a day trip.

And when the Umbrian lowland fields turn brick-red, you can experience a second spring.

Grande Piano in the Monte Sibillini national park. An enormous basin and microclimate. Just in time for the lentil fields to come into flower.

Lunch break at Castelluccio. Breathtaking landscape. A nature reserve and a refuge.

Wagging tails. Fresh air. Cool. A chance to breathe and fool around on the flower beds.

Making room in the mini for local products. Goat’s milk cheese, lentils, farro (grains of a certain wheat), honey… Never turn back home empty-handed.

Enjoy your week, wherever you are! Ingrid

Check-out

2010-06-24T18:23:00.007+02:00

Midsummer celebrations.

Collecting flowers for the maypole.

Dogs on vacation.

Will celebrate Midsummer Night in the Monte Sibillini nationa park. Heading for Castelluccio. Hoping the Grande Piano will be in full bloom. (Photo: ternidirete.it)

We are at the beginning of yet another heat wave. Trying to keep up with our Italian neighbours, who do not seem to be bothered at all by the heat and humidity.

Then off for Stockholm. Staccando la spina, switching off for a week. Enjoy your Midsummer weekend, everyone! Tante belle cose, Ingrid

Intoxication

2010-06-13T12:54:00.012+02:00

June. Flowering season. After weeks of rains and low temperatures. A mild breeze bringing delightful fragrances. A constant state of intoxication.

Facades covered in jasmine. Perfumery.

Roses and stone. The perfect Umbrian marriage.

Potato vine. Blue tinged. Like a jasmine - though scentless. Mine flower profusely. All summer.

Peeping into private gardens. Always a pleasure.

A wisteria, glicine. Ceased flowering. Reminding us of the dry season. Already in process.

Cutting the grass. Cutting down dead roof-top trees.

After an intense period… I find the dry season rather attractive here. When the olive groves turn terracotta. A good excuse for the afternoon riposino, nap. And who says a garden has to be green? (Last photo: MarieClaire Maison).

Enjoy your week, everyone!

Twofold Love

2010-05-28T19:43:00.001+02:00

When looking for a home… Allow your senses, your intuition, your imagination and your creativity to be your guide. You then just know it is right. You know it is going to be a passionate love affair.

Hoarding illustration: Trevi

What have I done? Bought a heap of stones for my next home to be! How can I leave my current home? I will never find anything like it. And all the effort I have put into it. Think about the costly and time-consuming restoration works ahead. And, and…

A house goes straight to your heart. Instant love. A heap of stones, and yet… The potential is there. A jungle of what was once a garden…

Roses against a stone wall is as good a reason as any to fall in love.

A former pergola with l'uva fragola, strawberry grapes, to be restored for future romanic dinners.

A farmhouse, waiting to be brought back to life:

Old doors, waiting for my entrance.

The original stone vasca

in the centre of my future country kitchen. (Photo from Casantica)

Arched stone windows and door openings, behind layers of cement.

The old stable and pigsty will soon have new inhabitants.

“Amazing, isn’t it, how your second home becomes as loved as your first one”. A comment from a friend from Rome, back in his summer residence. So true! I instinctively know I will love my future home as much as I love my present one.

Buon fine settimana e tante belle cose! Ingrid

Migration

2010-05-12T15:48:00.027+02:00

The garden tidy. Time to enjoy the fruits of outdoor life. Time to migrate. Into your open air living room.

Or rather several rooms, depending on the time of the day. We already experienced a muggy Afa last week. Heat combined with humidity. Brought to us from Africa. Outdoor meals call for a breakfast room in the morning sun,

lunches in the shade of a tree or a pergola,

(Photo: Marie Claire Maison, Italy)

“canopy” dinners with a view, and flickering candlelights,

and an undisturbed siesta for yourself and your pets,

the afternoon breeze rocking you to sleep, accompanied by water music. (Photo: Tuscan Elements by Alexandra Black & Simon McBride)

I am rather traditional, when it comes to furnishing my sala giardino. And here I allow myself to be a romantic. For those of you who would like to bring a corner of Italy into your own garden. No tricks are needed. Keep it simple. It is rather a matter of sensuality. A detail, an accent. And voilà!

In Umbria I see gardens nowadays, turned into fashionable lounges. Comfy, no doubt. But intimacy gone.

I prefer teak deckcharis by the pool. That said, I have to include some charming furniture objects – all recycled – from a recent garden exhibition:

I happen to like the unexpected and unconventional. A Surprise. A creative solution. Indicating a sense of humour. Why not hang your extra chairs under the pergola roof?

Turn an old wash-stand into a flowerpot?

Cramped for room? Or feeling amorous? A grass-green convertible sofa-table may suit your needs.

No garden. A tiny balcony. And yet, an itching green thumb? Solution. Vertical gardening.

Fertile imagination. The key to migratory lifestyle. Enjoy! Ingrid

Feasting your Eye and Palate

2010-05-06T10:58:00.007+02:00

Flowery May. Do I love this time of the year! And I am not alone. We gather in front of the market stalls. Filled to the brim with vegetables. All kinds. A colourful feast. For your eye and palate!

Food festivls starting up. One sagra after another. Every paese launches at least one festa a year. Gourmet stands are compulsory. Photos from a vegetarian food exhibition. Agretti have become one of my favourite spring greens. My palate has learnt to love the slightly acidulous greens (agretto means somewhat acid or harsh).

Tasting, degustazione. Often free of charge. Enough to please your stomach for lunch. And the season has only just started. An ongoing festa until late October. An excuse, good enough to visit Green Umbria. Or, like me, settle for good. Buon fine settimana a tutti! Ingrid

Historic playground

2010-04-30T17:25:00.015+02:00

Strange. Now that we know we will be moving on, my senses are more open than ever to the beauty of the landscape that surrounds our current home.

Having an historic playground is such a bliss. This landscape is oozing with history. The walls of the Roman excavation, Carsulae, are particularly attractive at this time of the year. Here the remains of the amphitheatre.

Spring comes first to Carsulae. The Romans found excuisite places for their settlements along the Via Flaminia. Undulatating settings. Groves with stunning views. Here looking towards the Cisterna Antiquariu (ex water cistern).

Tiptoeing along the Flaminia. Tracks of carts. Enormous oak trees giving shade from the sun.

I think I am obsessed by stone. What has Umbria done to me? Building techniques. Functionality and aestheticism. Unparalelled.

And blocks of white marble outside the little church, Chiesa dei Santi Cosma e Damiano. I wish I could use at least one of them for a garden stone project.

Inside the chiesa. An altar, frescoes, a confessional box, a few candleholders.

Carsulae is surprisingly unknown. Few tourists find their way. Here shool children with green hats taking notes. Open-air History classes.

It remains a pastoral setting. A (shy) shepherd with his dog, looking for wild asparagus.

And constitutes an echo system. No squeaking lawnmowers. No gardeners. Sheep and goats keep the pasture-land naturale.

Buon primo maggio! Enjoy your weekend! Ingrid

“Green Jewelry”

2010-04-24T10:31:00.012+02:00

Cinzia Verni. Performance Artist. Designer. Creator of Moda, Design e Arte. Lives and works in Toscana/Umbria. Exhibits world wide.

From her latest exhibition. A mannequin dressed in her spring costume.

Chinzia uses papier maché, cardboard, wrappers…

for her recycled, hand-made sculptural objects and jewelry,

handbags,

flip-flops, high-heeled shoes and clothing (last photo from artexit).

My choice? Couldn’t resist this silver and papier maché necklace. In black. Of course. My “colour”. Whatever the season.

Visiting exhibitions or flower shows, taking long walks, gardening… ? Enjoy your weekend, wherever! Ingrid

Garden Loving

2010-04-20T12:07:00.020+02:00

Now is the time for garden loving – and living. Sun is up. The nurseries are open even Sundays. Gardens need a face-lift. People focussed on DIY projects, fai da te.

A day in a sustainable garden. Many of us were challenged to meet with producers, professionals, and garden enthusiasts of a new era of green culture at Vivaio Salto del Prete. The aesthetics of all the arrangements of plants. Stunning! Heading for green culture. Goes without saying!

My camera is currently particularly trigged by the potential of restoring and landscaping our future garden and house. Inspiration and ideas for an old garden and and old house in harmony.

A brickred stone wall, partly a ruin, forming a backdrop to the exhibition. Poetry!

We are in brickred Umbria. The setting is Città della Pieve, characterized by the red color of bricks with which it was once built.

An old ladder, used for harvesting olives, against globe shaped boxwood. Recycled objects as "sculptures" and décor. Bringing some Italy into your own garden does not have to be complicated.

Mini ladders for your flowerpots. Decorative. Why not instead of flowers?

Succulent plants. Such variety! Modest. Need a minimum of water.

Earthenware. Big jars with tiny plants are my favourites. (Picks: from Sardegna. Second unknown source)

Old and antique stones for a landscape project.

For my paved courtyard I am thinking of a single olive tree. With a gnarled and twisted trunk. That’s it. Enough to give some shade. Not blocking the view. And beautiful! (Picks: from my friend Y's garden last year. Second from southern Italy. Source unknown)

My friend Y has created a natural pond on her Umbrian estate. Together with the Salto del Prete gardeners. No irrigation system. Choice of self-sufficient plants. Bio cultivation. I call this garden loving! Share her experince of creating a biotope, by following her blog! (Photo from a rainy day last year).

Any ideas for sustainable gardening, garden lovers? Welcome to share! Enjoy your week!

Two steps forward one step back

2010-04-11T11:17:00.004+02:00

“Slow down little jaguar” is my partner’s favourite expression. When I do take a break, I end up with a flu. This time a sinusitis. The capricious spring weather this year certainly made it worse.

An unintentional blog intermission. A ravenous appetite for honey, my favourite coming from a small scale local beekeeper…

and piles of magazines. About sustainable renovations. Not such a bad situation. A good excuse to idle around for a week. Enjoy yours! Bacione, Ingrid

A Roof is a Roof. Or?

2010-04-05T15:01:00.010+02:00

A postcard view of an Umbrian hilltop village or town. A tapestry of terracotta roof tops, dotting the countryside.

Undulating, curved tiles. Weathered by the sun, the rains and the winds for decades. Giving them a warm, multicoloured patina. Hues of burnt orange, brick red, pink, rust and gold.

When restoring an old farm or village house, we salvage the terracotta tiles from the original structure. The look, the feel and the texture are impossible to replicate. The aim is to use authentic materials and traditional techniques.

My farmhouse roof had already been restored, when I bought the house. Recuperated coppi, curved tiles. A simple farmhouse with an ingenious system of tiles, on recycled old wood.

Friends built a new construction, recreating the look of a rustic farmhouse by using salvaged – and handmade new tiles.

Like candlesticks atop a cake, handcrafted brick and terracotta chimneys rise above the roofs and decorate the landscape.

Inventive structures. I’ve just started to document. Have to add a chimney to my existing roof and need inspiration. Here are three of my favourites so far:

Blackened with smoke, from an old house in Bevagna,

“low-key”, but simply lovely. From neighbour’s house in Trevi,

An old Umbrian chimney “oozing with character” (from Elisabeth Helman Minchilli’s book Italian Rustic).

A roof is much more than just a roof. It's all in the details.... Enjoy your week! Bacione, Ingrid

Buona Pasqua!

2010-04-02T13:54:00.008+02:00

Easter. In a country village traditions are there to stay. A very important holiday, also from a strictly religious point of view, anticipated by the local parish priest, visiting each and every home with his Easter Blessing.

The Church of St. Emiliano, Trevi

Umbria also attracts religious tourism. Pilgrimage trails meander through the woods on the sides of the mountains and hills, following in the footsteps of St Francis of Assisi. Small churches and hermitages mark the pilgrim routes. Ideal paths also for trekking. In a timeless atmosphere.(Here a stop between Spoleto and Poreta).

Easter means opening the doors to spring. The house is cleand top down, la pulizia della casa per la Pasqua. Streets are swept, and life outdoors can start again.

Many Italians are on the move, visiting relatives, on four wheels. Well sometimes two – always in a hurry.

And you can be sure to meet hordes of cyclists from now on.

Traditions are a mix of the sacred and the profane. Important religious events and celebrations without food. My neighbours would say “impossibile!”. Easter also means the end of the Lent season. Easter Monday, la Pasquetta, Little Easter, we go out for lunch. Perhaps a wild asparagus frittata. Torta di Pasqua al formaggio, a cheesy Easter cake. Lamb chops - no Coratella di agnello for me, a stew of the lamb entrails.

Buona pasqua to you all. Buon appetito e tante belle cose! Ingrid

Let me Colour your Weekend

2010-03-26T16:00:00.010+01:00

Winter was. Spring it is. Temperatures rising to plus 19. A torrent of colours. My garden gardenia in bloom. Six weeks late!

The umbrella business was good investment this winter. The rains and strong winds never seemed to give up.

Winter "leftovers".

But all that is “water under the bridge” now. We turn our faces towards the sun, sip our macchiato, and look ahead. Basta!

Here is an early spring bouquet to colour your weekend. Prego!

Fruit trees in pink, white, and yellow.

Mainly living an outdoor life, external decoration is paramount. Here an ochre-coloured window frame dressed up for Easter.

On the walls of my rustic farmhouse (to be restored) I found this floral arabesque in blue. Had to include in my bouquet.

A pink feather supplies the finishing touch. It was just there for me to pick up.

Hold your breath, dear blogger friends. Sunday means summer time. Daylight saving time. Enjoy! Tante belle cose! Ingrid

The House Project

2010-03-20T14:59:00.001+01:00

Have been negotiating and finalizing a house contract. The reason for my blog silence. A farmhouse to be restored. In the two years to come I will continuously open my project log-book and keep those of you posted, interested in following an Umbrian renovation project from A to Z.

Sorry, pigeons. You will just have to move.

The house is al grezzo. It laready has a roof, the antique tiles, coppi, recuperated. And the antisismic structure has been completed. So far so good.

A house with a walled-in garden in an historic centre, centro storico, of a hilltop village is difficult to find. A house full of light, facing the south with a panorama is even more difficult. And have we been scouting!

Walking distance from Trevi, one of our favourite medieval towns.

Unexplored hunting-grounds. The grassy Trevi slopes. A haven dotted with silvery olive trees as far as the eye can reach.

Starting a house project from scratch, we hope to accomplish a sustainable house in cooperation with the architects Flavia de’ Rossi and Paule Favre, Architetettura & Ambiente. They have turned a number of houses on the verge of ruin, rudere, into the most beautiful homes in the region. With great respect for traditions, yet with a twist. Here is one example, Villa Campo Verde, in the Spoleto area, before and after. Snapshots from Flavia's and Paul's restoration projects have appeared on my blog a number of times.

Enjoy your weekend, everyone! I will be busy studying house plans.

Transition

2010-02-26T14:58:00.015+01:00

Rains giving way to sunny spells. A change in the air. Pefect day for hunting. In search of signs of spring. My camera battery, fully charged.

I am often asked, what Umbria is like in the cold season. Beautiful? Indeed, you just have to put on your Italian glasses in order to see the beauty of…

mimosa trees in full bloom. Almost unreal,

skeletons of grapes, left for the birds to munch,

rural simplicity and tranquility. Provided...

you like to be on historic ground. Provided… you like weather-beaten stone façades and cobbled streets.

Going east. A chain of medieval hilltop towns. Tourists often miss them, heading for the grandeur and splendour of the big cities.

Two pearls of the chain, Bevagna and Spello. Come visit in the spring. Bevagna for the Mercato delle Gaite, an historical re-enactment of life in the village during the late 13th and early 14th centuries.

And Spello in June, where the citizens decorate the narrow, winding streets for the procession of Corpus Cristi, the Infiorata, Flower show. Intricate carpets designed with a religious theme. All made with flower petals.

Or come any time for the aromas and a culinary tour.

Pedestrian alleys allow you to go shuffling along, and really see the particulars of these medieval villages.

Get lost in the labyrinth. So what? There is always a bar or a café, seats empty at this time of the year. Time is your companion.

My final destination. The annual meeting with fellow Swedish expatriates. The dinner finale. Yet another sign of spring – Lent buns filled with cream and homemade almond paste. Autopilot on. Drive back home, humming.

Next stop? Follow the steps of my new walking shoes. Buon week-end e tante belle cose! Ingrid

Only Natural

2010-02-21T15:32:00.018+01:00

Vintage makes me happy. Recycling even happier. Natural materials, fibers and products. Quality that is eternal. A table with patina. A chair that has been used for generations. A piece of excellent craftsmanship. Handled with care, but to be used on a daily basis. No lover of consumer mentality, I prefer…

solid wood. Gracefully sculptured. Leather, fur, wool. Masterly tailored. Functional and aesthetic. Design at its best. (Details: Bruno Mathsson, Pernilla chaise and Børge Mogensen Spokeback sofa)

The Bruno Mathsson Pernilla birch frame chaise longue with sheepskin upholstery was literally tailor-made. Still in the 70’ s it had to be ordered, and the Mathsson cabinet makers sent you the sheepskin by post for approval. (Details: Pernilla chaise longue, and interior from the 70’ s Bruno Mathsson catalogue).

Elegance and function. I like a chair to be comfortable. Bruno Mathsson was striving for the optimum positions for sitting, working and lounging. The perfect sitting curve.

Not at all ergonomic, but perfect for a hour’s gossiping in the village alley. Beauty is not necessarily equal to fabulous design. These worn cane chairs would be perfect in my garden.

Since I moved to Italy…

I can never get enough of terracotta. From hand-made terracotta tiles to vases and urns.

stone architecture. And traditional–style wrought iron (photo from Ville & Casali)

massive beams and rustic doors. Wood that adds a necessary warmth and texture to our stone houses. (Second photo from Casantica)

natural plastering and pigments.

wool and linen (Details: wool drapers and my morning slippers. Terracotta tiles are ice-cold in the winter).

and eco-friendly produce. Enjoy your week, all of you! Bacione, Ingrid

My Expat ID and Awards

2010-02-15T14:05:00.025+01:00

I was awarded (the Creative Blogger Award and the Honest Scrap Award) and challenged by Charlotte in Australia, Space for Inspiration. Grazie Charlotte for highlighting me! Like myself, Charlotte is an expat. And, admittedly, I am attracted to expat bloggers - to their observations and lifestyles.

Now I have to reveal 10 things connected to my personality and 10 things that add to my happiness. An Acquarian, I am a bit of a rebel. Headstrong. So, I go about this my way. (The lintel from a private home, Bosa, Sardinia)

Who am I, and what am I doing here? My meandering Scanditalian life calls for reflection. Frequently. It is a question of tuning in, without losing my identity, my true self.

My blood is probably 50% water. Most of my life I spent by, in, or on the water. Until expatriation. Umbria is inland. The skyline is my comfort, when I get homesick.

My expat ID is certainly not black or white. There ar nuances. My life is rose-coloured and grey. Ups and downs. Everyday life would be – in any setting. And yet… my relocation was absolutely worth every minute. Every second. (Necklace by Roman designer)

The best way of meeting misfortunes – and they do occur - is a constructive attitude. Being inventive, probing, curious and genuinly interested in people helps, when you fall short. Luckily I like to be progressive, and try to keep my brooding moments to myself. Discretion, I find, is the better part of valour. (Photo taken at the time of my engagement – decades ago!)

It takes courage to jump, leaving your comfort zones behind. Challenge is, and always was, my springboard. In fact I like to be tempted, to see what is hiding round the corner.

A house to call my home is a comfort zone, I could not do without. It always was. Wherever. Therefore I decided to make my casa a home away from home. My Scanditalian life in a nutshell, Scandinavian interiors and arts meeting Italian Middle Ages. See former post.
(P.S. Love the "sculpturesque". Here detail from silver and porphyry candleholder by Sigurd Persson, and "Gitter" by sculptor Stina Ekman)

Love and passion for my “new” home area are my heart’s companions. Being on historical ground is an infinite energy source. (The Museo Etrusco, Chiusi)

Down to the last detail. The innumerable examples of good craftsmanship. Intriguing. I become creative. Quite simply. And I like to be creative. (The roof décor of a newly built Umbrian house and one of the innumerable stone details from my casa)

A sociable person, I need a cluster of friends. Mingling with the locals is to me as important as being adopted by an international circle. Breaking ground takes a couple of years. Finding mutual friendship in a new setting, takes even longer. When you do, you know you will stay! (Last pick from my home, through friend’s lens. Thank you, M!)

An unpretentious lifestyle, which allows me to be myself, and challenges me to grow, is what I find here. I am learning every day to appreciate the small things. Things I may not have payed any attention before. The least trifle or step forward become manifestations of joy. And registred. In my Expat ID.

I forward the awards to all expat bloggers out there. Reading your blogs add to my progress.

Memento

2010-02-12T11:35:00.007+01:00

We are in the heart of Valentine celebrations. Terni, our nextdoor town, claims to be the “city of love”. The relics of Saint Valentine are in the Basilica di San Valentino. See my post from last year. The commercial side of Valentine does not intrigue me. So I refrain from documenting.

Instead I have Topolino and Minnie pose. They need no instructions. To them Love is the essence. Their love is...

patient and kind,

whole-hearted and unconditional,

passionate and powerful. At all events.

Tanti auguri di buon San Valentino! Happy Valentine’s Day, all of you! A one-day occasion. A memento for the rest of the year. Ingrid

Colouring me Happy

2010-02-08T12:01:00.017+01:00

My birthday yesterday. Friends for lunch. Rains gave way. Brilliant sunshine. My home refilled with light… (Birthday card from web designer friend)

and colour. They all brought colour into my home. Did not know, I was dying for colours. My amante brought me an orchid. Here in a Mediterranean blue glass bowl from Svenskt Tenn.

A compleanno is an important event in this country. Presents are artistically wrapped up. An azalea wrapped in cerise tissue paper…

A prosecco “dressed up” for a partying.

My home refilled with dreams. A wizard magic wand. Abracadabra, and my dreams will come true. Will it make me any younger, I wonder. I mean young at heart. Who could wish for more?

A turquoise pashmina shawl to go with all my black and grey. Even my face takes on a less greyish colour.

Café Perugia (my favourite café) confectionery for my sweet tooth.

My home refilled with sapori. Extra virgine from friend's oliveto.

We enjoyed a smorgasbord of Giannis’ Slow Food homemades. His guance di vitello, calf's cheeks, "sold like wildfire", while we kept on talking, and talking, and…

Until the sun called it a day. What we were talking about? Food, of course. And you name it... I think, we are slowly becoming more Italian than the Italians themselves!

Enjoy your week, all of you! Ingrid

Kitchen Loving

2010-01-30T14:45:00.014+01:00

You have to love your kitchen in "stone-house-Umbria". Your kitchen is literally your living room in the cold season – as it always was. Not only for cooking. But for loooong lunches and dinners, and for just about any activity for that matter. Entertaining, reading, relaxing… This is where your whole family will congregate – in front of the log fire, in order to keep warm. (From a newly restored farmhouse kitchen).

First thing in the morning. Get your Alessi boiling for a hot drink. Getting up, kitchen temperatures are now down to 15 – i.e. above zero! (From friends’ ultra-modern stainless-steel kitchen island).

The howling wind and pouring rains, giving you peace of mind – as long as you keep indoors. (Kitchen with a view from a newly renovated Colombaia/pidgeon tower).

“Fresco dining” in the former convent library, now turned into a private home.

I just love this traditionally rustic kichen, kept intact. Simple farmhouse furniture, arte povera. A massive wooden table and odd chairs, accomodating a cluster of friends.

And these two – more stylishly renovated – sleek farmhouse kichens. (Photos from estate agents).

An antique stone sink – with a view. The perfect corner for daydreamers. (Photo from Casantica).

In my kitchen the central table also serves as my work surface, an extra countertop. If space had allowed, I would have added a kitchen island, such as this stainless carpenter’s bench- style island. (Photo estate agent).

I have a weakness – kitchens blending rustic elements with the untraditional, high-tech and minimal.

Shopping around for modern appliances is heaven in Italy. And you do not have to go far. Your nearest provincial town is good enough. For Boffi, Dada, Minotti, Arclinea, Smeg, Alpes Inox…

Buon proseguimento, tutti! A couple of things to straighten out first, back in a week. Ingrid

Despite… Hapiness is… and a Reward

2010-01-24T11:46:00.012+01:00

Morning temperatures below zero. One of the dogs wounded. A week full of minor mishaps…Nothing seriously, really. Just one of tose (looong) January weeks.

And yet, happiness is…

all the corners of the house, kissed by the sun…

returning from the market-hall with a kilo of dried figs. Crunchy, fruity, sweet. Last year’s long, hot summer condensed…

also, finding the bancarelle, booths, filled with the greens in season…

batteries charged for excursions

and house calls.

And, above all… cuddling and tucking up one of my little ones, waiting for his wound to heal.

Happiness is also being awarded a Sunshine Award. Thank you Dana! I pass this award on to all of my blogger friends. You all deserve a bit of sunshine right now! Buon proseguimento! Ingrid

I can Weather the Storm – or the Romance of a Fireplace

2010-01-17T15:58:00.015+01:00

“My heart's on fire, the flame goes higher, but I can weather the storm,What do I care how much it may storm, I've got my love to keep me warm.”

Well, that is only partially true. For the time being. So far we need a little extra. The romance of a fireplace – an Umbrian home’s central focus. (Photo from estate agency).

Every stone house dweller is feeding the stufa right now. There is still February to go … and perhaps beyond. (The stone house is a Domus de Janas, Sadinia).

A fireplace is almost like a member of the family. We keep hedging in front of a fire, wherever and whenever. A Friday evening tête à tête, dining out, lunching in friends’ homes…

The fireplace always played an integral part of rural farmhouse life. In traditional farmhouses they were as big as space and budget allowed. Some are big as walk-in hideaways.

They were located on the second floor, in the central room. The only room with heating, it served both as kitchen and livingroom.

These rustic hearths, built of bricks, mortar, stone and wood set my heart on fire. The window fireplace is one of my faves.

Ascetic ornaments or an emblem – nothing more (here from an abbey, now turned into a private home).

A sting of smoke and smell of charcoal, as soon as you stick your nose out. This is Umbrian winter to me.

Buon lavoro, everyone! Spring is behind the corner!

Futile

2010-01-16T12:00:00.005+01:00

It seemed so futile. A new post this week. My blog is normally about my world. Admittedly a “small world”. But sometimes the “little world” is affected by the world outside. You become aware of the fact that life can change in no time, that life and happiness cannot be taken for granted.

I am sure we all share the same feelings of distress and despair these days, witnessing the victims of the horrific earthquake in Haiti.

We cannot but hope that relief efforts - monetary and humanitarian contributions – really reach those in need, despite chaotic conditions.

We cannot but hope that there will be an end to the sufferings of these poor people.

Buon week-end, everyone!

Seeking refuge

2010-01-11T14:25:00.011+01:00

from winter storms and humidity. Escapism. Conjuring up visions of the past summer, a warm breeze, transparent light, fragrances… obviously a current blog topic.

I have learned to appreciate the cold season, since I moved to Umbria, though. In fact I find it quite dramatic. What I lack is rather the uncomplicated, spontaneous summer activities al fresco in a circle of friends. Two of them reminded me, by sending a CD of picks, me behind their camera. One of those enchanting summer evenings. Getting together, baking pizzas – in a wood-fired oven. A dynamic process...

All of us in motion. Uncorking bottles. Gossiping, allowing the dough to rise.

Rolling the dough into circles, into an ultra-thin crust.

Chopping, cutting, grinding, mixing… all the different ingredients and toppings.

Waiting for the exact temperature of the embers.

Adding one and removing another, the crust nicely browned.

A tavola! Buon appetito! Enjoying our heavenly homemades. Getting carried away…

Not leaving until the crack of dawn. Buon lavoro, amici!

Let the Sun Shine!

2010-01-05T11:32:00.014+01:00

Let there be light!

As much as there has been expectant waiting for Christmas and winter hibernation… January means “sending darkness packing” and welcoming light. From an Umbrian back yard.

As much as we are dependent on central heating and log fires for another couple of months… every ray of sunshine and source of light is taken advantage of. We open shutters and make use of peep holes.

As much as we need to keep cool in the summer… the sun is essential at this time of the year for our Umbrian stone houses to dehydrate and warm up. The second picture is from a Sardinian nuragh (a log-conical megalithic tower).

As much as there are no sun worshippers in our family… we adore light.

Even if it will still take some time, before spring bursts into a splendour of colours… here is to bring back memories of - a voluminous bougainvillea, covering a Sardinian stone wall.

Time to start counting the hours of sunlight! Bacione, Ingrid

A Mock Medieval Setting

2009-12-30T10:21:00.014+01:00

Between Natale and Capodanno. Grey and wet these last few days of the year. Not as dull as it may seem, though. An air of festivity, whatever the weather. Yet another reason to love this part of the world. Feste. Not only in the summer.

Many Umbrian borghi are now turned into presepe vivante, a living nativity play. Very popular for a day out. An elaborate annual event, featuring the classic nativity scene as well as a mock medieval setting. Complete with artisans in traditional costumes working at their particular trades.

Bettona, one of the Borghi più belli d'Italia. The locals “armed to to their teeth”. In their medieval costumes. Dead earnest. Rehearsed their lines for weeks.

Un borgo medievale. So well preserved. Yet. An illusion. An animation. A pantomime. Props minutely arranged.

Narrow alleys. Candlelight. A scent of of beeswax.

A perfect chance to see the borgo from the inside. Stalle aperte. Domestic animals. Artisans. Wickerwork, weaving, dyeing,

ropework, carpentry, smithwork, casting …

Craftsmanship is proudly demonstrated, using the tools of the ancestors.

Modern times thoroughly disguised.

Munching roasted chestnuts in front of the log fires, we wish total strangers a happy new year.

And I wish you too tanti Auguri di Buon Anno! See you in 2010.

Midwinter and Getting into the Christmas Spirit

2009-12-20T09:05:00.001+01:00

Winter solstice. Farthest away from the sun. But only for an instant. You wake up, and you are closer to spring!

Christmas spirit in Umbria. Somewhat farfetched until today, when snow powdered the roofs. The commercial Christmas decorations have been up since the beginning of the month. The same blinking lights as everywhere. I am rather attracted to warm colours, soft candle light, and seducing flavours.

On the hunt for the Christmas spirit, this is my catch:

A backyard table décor, outside a gourmet restaurant in Trevi.

Lighting effects like these – from a tomba, tomb.

Waiting for the faraona arrosto, grilled guinea-fowl, in friends’ cosy country kitchen.

Piles of Tarocco oranges, Fuji apples and Pocket Coffee. The orange-peel feeds the fire and fills our kitchen with perfumes.

Gotland sheepskins, keeping our guests warm.

Nowadays a cultural hybrid, I find Christmas the perfect excuse to relapse into my northern traditions and my weakness for Swedish arts and crafts – particularly interpreted by young designers. Here a few of my “Christmas” items, all of them from Svensk Slöjd, Stockholm:

Love to wrap myself up in pom-pom baby plaids with jingling brass bells.

Lambskin bedside rug footwarmers. Terracotta floors are ice-cold in the winter.

“Victorian” wristlets, perfect in this climate. Here decorated with tiny red pearls.

Knitwear with coloured ribbons.

A poor-man’s rusty wrought iron chandelier.

For those interested in Swedish arts and crafts of today, I highly recommend Svensk slöjdkonst (Forum bokförlag) by the talented journalist/designer, Uuve Snidare. Brilliant photo. Text in Swedish though.

Wish you all Buon Natale e Buone Feste! A few days time out. Back before the turn of the year.

P.S. Buone Feste also from my Italian, wooly Lagotto dogs – highly recommended winter warmers, by the way!

Enjoying a Garden Without Gardening

2009-12-13T18:03:00.001+01:00

Well into December. Winter season. Now is the time to enjoy your garden – without gardening!

Owners of land… plenty of room for sculptures. Blending into the evergreen. Filling the vacuum, leaves gone. Stone, terracotta, iron, wood…

Dancing couple of concrete, whirling in a bed of lavender,

petrified young lovers, hiding in the green. Both from friends’ country home, close to Amelia.

Friends' animated garden of stone sculptures, overlooking the Lago Trasimeno, smooth as a mirror.

A terracotta figure. Sheltered from the wind, accompanied by multicolored pansies.

Embedded. Given shelter and sunshine… red roses in December. No need for artificial Christmas decorations.

Owners of small gardens and terraces. Aged terracotta jars, even empty, are sufficient eye-catchers.

If your geraniums dosed off… waiting for the mimosas… a spray of green on a patinous barrel, the hoops given a touch of ruby red.

Flowering ceased… this iron grill – again ruby red – makes an interesting object.

A gate or used just as an opera d’arte – wrought iron objects are perfect garden accents.

If you lack a garden or terrace, leave a couple of odd chairs in the street. Cushions against the cold. Enjoy the winter sun!

And it’s all about Food

2009-12-08T11:34:00.011+01:00

Autumn is all about food in Umbria. Feste, sagre, fiere, manifestazioni, eventi enogastronomici. You can easily fill your calendar. There are degustazioni, tasting menues, in all the towns and hamlets of prodotti tipici at this time of the year. Vegetables, fruit, mushrooms, meat, wines, olive oil. Prodotti della terra. A continuous thanksgiving. In honour of…

the black truffle,

the local extra virgin oils,

wild boar products, cinghiale, and maiale, pork from pigs fed with acorn.

The smell of charcoal. Cooking over open fires. Toasting bread for bruschette, roasting chestnuts, grilling salsicce, even baking bread.

Will take a lifetime to learn the names of all the different vegetables from the local market. And advice from neighbours are needed for recipes.

Restaurants are also “in season”, offering a menù autunnale. Cooking classes as good as any. You pick up recipes and enjoy a good meal simultaneously. One of our local restaurants, L'UmbriaCo (see my post from the opening a year ago), was highlighted by Slow Food in October. A passionate chef, Gianni has turned our borgo into a culinary metropolis, his cucina based on fresh, organic produce from local farmers. Violà.

Enjoy your week, everyone!

Photosensitivity

2009-12-04T10:15:00.000+01:00

November retrospective. So mild and generously sunny this year. We all spent our days outdoors. My neighbours in short sleeves, picking the olives. Myself… taking every opportunity to idle away. Opening my senses to the late autumn light.

From the balcony of Trevi, the Valle Spoletina at my feet.

Autumn shadows. Vaguely outlined. Playing against a palazzo pastel coloured wall and an arched window. Suggestive.

Leaves gone. A canopy of crystal blue.

Coffee breaks. A macchiato. All by myself. The summer crowds gone. Undisturbed. Wrapped up in thought.

Evening out. A borgo. Illuminated. Lighting effects. Magic.

One of the pleasures of life in Bella Umbria is the elements keep changing. Fog, rain and temperatures dropping in the winter, yes. But it is almost always a matter of days.

Before you know it. A wind from the south. A change of scene. My studio window yesterday and this morning. Enjoy your weekend, everyone! Tante belle cose!

Quarantine

2009-12-01T14:59:00.008+01:00

I guess I am not the only one. Before you know it. Cut off. Impossible to navigate and your computer no longer responds. Virus! Infection! More than two weeks in quarantine.

First reaction, confusion. Second thought, looking out of my window, why not profit from the beautiful November weather? No sooner said than done. Spent two weeks outdoors. Snapshots coming up. Just need some time to arrange my digitals. Until then, buon lavoro!

P.S. 'Il Perugino', Pietro Vannucci, (1446–1524) was the leading painter of the Umbrian school.

Find me a House!

2009-11-05T10:16:00.000+01:00

“Find me an Umbrian house that will attract my children to come and visit – always!” It has to be in a village and budget is limited. A straight question from Signora P and conditions understood. Get going!

Trying to find reasons for your children to love their parents’ second home, this is what I would suggest to you, Signora:

Let us make an inventory of the borghi, easily accessed from Rome. I am sure your children would love you for saving an antique town house

and make you company on your daily “cobbled walks” into the pastoral countryside.

I can see you hesitating, Signora. Don’t worry, we’ll find you a house with a sound structure. The roof is missing! Yes, but the old tiles, coppi, have been saved. And look at the beautiful cotto floors. Good craftsmenship will do the rest.

How about a walled-in garden for your al fresco meals together,

privacy and sweeping views,

vaulted high ceilings,

original fireplaces (photo estate agent),

perhaps an old vasca to be turned into

an open-air bath? Once renvated you will have a country home with plenty of atmosphere, enough to attract anyone, Signora. (foto Casatica)

And, furthermore. I’m sure your children will appreciate your choice of a sustainable house. Recycled doors, beams and shutters

in perfect harmony with modern techniques and all modern cons. What do say, Signora? Ready for a house tour?

Enjoy your weekend, wherever you are. Tante belle cose! I will be busy.

Cambiamento

2009-10-30T11:40:00.013+01:00

End of October. Beginning of November. Sunny. Still mild and pleasant. And yet…

There is a slight change, cambiamento. Mornings crisp. Mist. Olive groves in sepia.

Swallows gone. The non-migratory birds “hibernating”.

Domestic friends indoors.

Homeless clochards taking refuge.

Al fresco dining having to wait for spring temperatures.

Plants preparing for the cold season.

Darkness falling already late afternoon. Villages illuminated.

Retreat. Cocooning. Coccolarsi.

Stacks of fire wood filled to the brim. Come what may... we are all prepared.

You too, enjoy your end-of-October weekend and festa di Ognissanti, All Saints’ day!

Turn Left at the Madonnina

2009-10-23T15:21:00.011+02:00

Hovering above Fiumicino and the Leonardo da Vinci airport on my way home from Stockholm I visualized

my Italian dream. It was all a dream, before my inner voice told me to stop at the cross-roads, make up my mind and, hopefully, strike out new paths.

Until then literature fed my dream. Everything Italian. Hardcover, paperback, magazines. About people who had dared jump before me. House renovations, lifestyle, cultural encounters, the "do's and dont's", the secrets, the hardship and the joy. From the innumerable novels and short stories, a phrase engraved on my memory “Turn left at the madonnina” (miniature madonna).

Looking for the Italian “anima” I imagined myself “turning left or right at the madonnina”, and there it was…

My village, the house to call my new home, my next door neighbours, everyday life, new experiences, influences, outlooks, shortcomings, challenges. To satisfy my curiosity and stimulate my creativity.

Now that I have long settled down, I have learned that the madonnina is not only visionary. She is literally a signpost (apart from being a roadside shrine to the Virgin, of course). Often when you ask for an unknown village address, you are adviced to go past or turn right or left at the madonnina.

Consequently… When you come to visit, turn left at the madonnina. Uphill and there you are…

You cannot miss it!

On my Way, and Short Interval

2009-10-14T10:23:00.004+02:00

I'm off in my undecked aircraft. Stockholm, here I come! Back next week. Until then... buon lavoro e buon fine settimana!

Water Accents

2009-10-09T11:56:00.018+02:00

Slightly overgrown. Perfectly OK. Overdone, overcrowded, overdressed, overelaborate. Overload, overkill… No. My ideal garden has just a few accents. Water I could not live without though. The sound of water. Like rippling laughters. The taste of water. Lifeblood.

No doubt water was always vital in this country. Water and stone. Stone basins and cisterns are often pieces of great art. Here is my collection of antique garden reservoirs for your inspiration.

Some of my favourites. Shell-shaped marble basins. (Photo, CasaAntica)

Water chestnut for crystal-clear water. (Photo, Hans Martensson)

Ornate marble. (Photo, Taschen Verlag)

A concave block of lava stone. From Sardinia.

And chiseled limestone outside an Umbrian abbey.

The limestone water pipe of my garden pool.

Troughs. With or without water. (Photo from estate agent)

(Photo, CasaAntica)

A spacious courtyard. Troughs in a row. That’s all. Magic!

Water Arrangements

a lane in the centro storico of Terni ,

a backyard in Siena,

a private home near Chiusi,

a piazzetta in Spoleto…

What about your ideal garden accents? Any could-not-live-withouts? I would love to know.

Enjoy your weekend! Wherever! Buon divertimento!

Working Week and Worth While

2009-10-06T16:40:00.001+02:00

Where is everyone? You knock on doors at this time of the year, and there is no answer.

If you are lucky, there is a sign, leading you further. If not, you just have to find out.

Follow your nose. Fermentation.

Into the backyard.

Follow your eyes. Sediment, ready for destillation. You guessed right. It is vendemmia, grape harvesting. The Grappa I can do without. Good wines. No way.

My idea of growing grapes and vinification was of the romantic kind. Before coming to live in Italy. Now I know. Viniculture is toil and moil. A lengthy “manicure” procedure. In the hope of good quality. Working long days in the fields. Weather permitting!

Having to wait for the result!

We are right now enjoying the 2006 production of the Colle Amerini wines, our local favourite fattoria. See my post last year on their Roman-Etruscan grapes.

The art of vinification takes me back to Sardinia and the cork oak trees. The importance of the cork quality. The cork, tappo, made to measure the neck of the bottle for optimal maturing conditions. Ingenious!

Driving through the vine-hills the other day on my way back, house hunting. A sign post at the Frantoio Gaudenzi made me pull up short. “Il Primo Olio Nuovo”. Came home with a litre of their first pressing of extra vergine, nonfiltrato (see my post from last year).

Bread on the grill. The non-filtered extra vergine on a plate. Thick, green. An explosion of intense aromas. The unmistakably peppery “bite”. Fruttato! The Italians know how to reward themselves after a hard day’s work. Thanks for sharing, amici! And thank goodness, some products are “instant stimulants”.

Have a rewarding week, you too, cari amici!

Tiling and Maioliche Antiche

2009-10-02T14:30:00.022+02:00

Moving into our house years ago, I found a pile of antique tiles, maiolche antiche, in the grottoes. Some were cracked, some I could save. It would be a shame to leave them piled. What to do with them? Turning the matter over in my mind.

You can still find antique tiles in Italy. The originals, of course, rather espensive. Replicas are an alternative. But why tile your kitchen or bathroom top-down? Just a few will add a finishing touch. And it does not matter, if some are chipped. Patina, my friends!
(The two photos from VilleGiardini and Taschen Verlag)

Resin, cement, plastering. Currently very trendy solutions in renovation projects. Although a confirmed minimalist, I find the result too uniform. Even tedious. Instead…
(The two photos from Kerakoll Design and Umbrian estate agent)

Why not a solitaire? An exclamation mark.

A tapestry of antique findings. Different patterns of blue. Charming.

I am not a friend of backsplash tiling myself. My kitchen was originally tiled. Even the countertop was tiled. Years of cooking had left the tiles stained and crackled, seams dirty brown. I decided on carrara blocks made to measure. For harmony and homogeneity. A wonderful material, by the way.

Renovating an old house, there are more possibilities for the backsplash than tiles. I quite like the solution of hand-made terracotta (flooring), provided there is enough light.

For inspiration. Have to include this wall from the inside of the Terni amphitheatre. Beautiful, ingenious stone fitting!

Found this irresistible majolica floor in our albergo, Sardinia.

Again, if you have a limited collection of antique ceramic tiles, why not a square or a rectangle with resin flooring? Imagine, walking on “historic ground” every time you enter your kitchen or bathroom! (Photo VilleGiardini)

Enjoy your weekend, everyone! Buon divertimento!

October is the First Month of Spring

2009-09-28T13:55:00.002+02:00

One thing I love about this country. Autumn does not come overnight. There is plenty of time to adjust. The umber-coloured earth has absorbed months of sunshine. A “geothermal” reservoir. No night frost lurks.

Oops! These ladies must have had a sunstroke.

Autumn is a matter of definition. September and October are the first months of spring. A wonderful thought! Now is the time to prepare for new crops. The light in the tunnel.

(Second picture from Nuraghe Santu Antine, Torralba, Sardinia)

So much sun preserved. One pomgranate. A concentrated energy drink. No need for the supermarket.

Days are shorter. Nights dark. Certo. But we can still dine al fresco. Evenings mild. Lanterns for lighting effects. Dramatic stage design inside an antico borgo.

We have Umbria to ourselves. Most tourists have left.

No need to book a table. Rooms available. Roads less jammed.

The perfect time for a ride. Hop up! Where to? You'll see. We'll just follow my nose…

Ready, steady, go!

2009-09-25T10:33:00.002+02:00

A phone call early spring. Could I arrange a cycling tour. A week “in motion”, set in a genuinly Umbrian environment. Of course! Certo!

Autumn on the doorstep. New range of colours. Grapes, pomegranates, chestnuts.

September is mild. Meraviglioso. Umbria still full of activities. Wine festivals. Village feste with processions, cortei. Open-air concerts...

The apartments, Via Ceppari, inside the medieval village wall, ready to welcome guests.
(Photo: Cesarini apartments, Panicale)

Mountain bikes serviced.

Rucksaks packed.

They left the night frost in the far north for the autumn sun. Eleven Swedish girls. A long day’s journey. Ended up in the medieval village of Panicale.

Go, girls, go! Enjoy! Buon divertimento!

Well-earned pauses. Photographing.

Postcards from Panicale. A medieval borgo on the balcony of Lake Trasimeno.

The lake. Ideal for cycling tours and slow tourism. Gently undulating hills. A chain of picturesque towns and little villages.

Long lunch breaks.

and stops at the fattorie. Testing local wines.

Sangiovese, Gamay,Canaiolo, Merlot, Trebbiano… Colour intensity. A range of aromas and characteristics. Aaah! Opening a bottle in the winter darkness, eyes closed, will take you back to September Umbria.

Recharge batteries, cari amici. And pack your bags with Umbrian fragrancies and flavours for winter refill. Hope to see you again!

Be my Guest!

2009-09-18T16:35:00.007+02:00

"Be my guests!"" Make yourselves at home!", "Sentitevi come a casa vostra!"

I love being a guest. That is… I like true hospitality, ospitalità. A friendly welcome. A feeling of home away from home already on the doorstep. A cheerful atmosphere.

Consequently I do not look up big hotels, when travelling. I rather head for the quaint, little places with a personal approach to guests. Where the heart and soul of the owners are visible. Where the owners know down to the last detail, how to create a cosy atmosphere. Where...

there is peace and quiet. A cured garden or a courtyard, perfect for an afternoon retreat with a glass of red or a good book

you find the best bed-linen of the house. Where you can wrap yourself in generously sized waffle weave bath sheets

there are woolen plaids to keep you warm in the evening breeze. A kimono and slippers after a revitalizing foam bath. A bottle of home-made liqueur. Fresh flowers in your room

there is an outdoor shower on the terrace, if not a pool, and deck-chairs. Doors, open to a library. Piles of magazines. And, and, or… the list can be made long of the “little things” that add to quality. (The second photo from house rentals)

A room far from standard. No extravagance, though. Rather a matter of creativity and style. Like these ethnic style bed curtains. Or “souvenirs” from the owners’ travels. (The 2nd photo from Casa Antica)

A turquoise ornament as part of this white vaulted ceiling. Striking. Sophisticated.

And lighting effects. So important in a homely scenography.

And last, but not least. Home cooking. Local produce for your first meal, prima colazione. Lemons picked from the courtyard tree, herbs from the vegetable garden for your evening meal round up my “hospitality” list. Curious to hear about your be-my-guest-concept.

Enjoy your weekend. Buon divertimento, Ingrid