Hello! I finally managed to write my first blog post, considering I've been home all day due to the freezing Canadian weather... anyways, I hope you like it!
Two years ago, I visited Italy with my family, including Tuscany. During my visit, I stayed with my cousin and her family, who own a beautiful villa there. I loved Tuscany, not only for the food and scenery, but for the beautiful architecture and the unique style of the homes there (just to let you know, all the pictures in this blog are taken by myself).
Tuscan Style originates from the late 16th/ early
17th Century of Italy, and now-a-days combines old-world Italian charm with contemporary
convenience. In today’s Tuscan style
design, one can find traces of neighboring countries’ styles (such as Spain and
France). They all share a sensuous style of simplicity, nostalgia, and
grandeur.
Two years ago, I visited Italy with my family, including Tuscany. During my visit, I stayed with my cousin and her family, who own a beautiful villa there. I loved Tuscany, not only for the food and scenery, but for the beautiful architecture and the unique style of the homes there (just to let you know, all the pictures in this blog are taken by myself).
 |
| Florence, Tuscany (Ponte Vecchio) |
The villa
itself had some of the strongest characteristics of Tuscan architecture, with its symmetrical
windows, large indoor stones, wood beams, stucco exteriors, ceiling medallions, and
arches. The arches used in the outside and inside of the villa suggested a sense of elegance and history.
As well as the architecture, Tuscan interior design is warm, rustic, and influenced by a rich history and antiquity. Original Tuscan colours include natural colour backgrounds (especially buttery hues) with accents of green, orange, gold and lavender. Terra-cotta clay and Mosaics are also very traditional, and motives of vine leaves and fruits, large scrolls, and frescos are used frequently.
In my cousin’s villa, the dominant colour was a golden yellow that reminded me of the Tuscan sun. The furniture in the entire villa was an eclectic mix of Italian furniture and French antiques that the home owners had collected. The chairs were mostly hand painted and the stone walls juxtaposed with the antique French chandeliers. The doors and ceilings were all hand crafted and partially accented with wrought iron. We’d spend hours outdoors of the villa, swimming in the roman style pool, barbequing under the pergola, and picking lemons and rosemary from their lush garden of fruit. It truly was a refined Tuscan villa, which made coming home to my own house so much more difficult!
 |
| A perfect place to have an Espresso |
As well as the architecture, Tuscan interior design is warm, rustic, and influenced by a rich history and antiquity. Original Tuscan colours include natural colour backgrounds (especially buttery hues) with accents of green, orange, gold and lavender. Terra-cotta clay and Mosaics are also very traditional, and motives of vine leaves and fruits, large scrolls, and frescos are used frequently.
 |
| The grand villa entrance (featuring my little cousin) |
In my cousin’s villa, the dominant colour was a golden yellow that reminded me of the Tuscan sun. The furniture in the entire villa was an eclectic mix of Italian furniture and French antiques that the home owners had collected. The chairs were mostly hand painted and the stone walls juxtaposed with the antique French chandeliers. The doors and ceilings were all hand crafted and partially accented with wrought iron. We’d spend hours outdoors of the villa, swimming in the roman style pool, barbequing under the pergola, and picking lemons and rosemary from their lush garden of fruit. It truly was a refined Tuscan villa, which made coming home to my own house so much more difficult!
 |
| Courtyard fountain |
Needless to say, Tuscany is one of the most beautiful places in Europe. It has a very elegant and convenient style that can be reinvented with many different materials on a lower budget, which is why Tuscan style design is still popular.
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| The outdoor pool and pergola #1 |
If you plan on travelling to
Tuscany any time soon (highly recommended), you can refer to the book “Bringing Tuscany Home”
by Frances May for a list of antique
dealers and furniture stores there.
Buon
Viaggio! xoxo
Love your personal pictures.
ReplyDeleteThanks! :)
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