Casa SpecialItaly

Our desire to have a ‘casale’ in Umbria dates back to 2001. Through a close friend, an Italian lady living in The Hague who guided our first steps in learning the Italian language (and cucina!), we discovered Città della Pieve and its surroundings. We spent our first days in the area at the agriturismo Antica Frateria Poggio al Piano, a wonderful place that no longer exists today.

In the spring of 2006, we came across a beautifully located plot of buildable land. Although we hadn’t planned to purchase a property to build, we were able to secure all the necessary guarantees and decided to embrace the challenge.

Initial construction began at the end of winter, in February 2007, once we had marked the position of the house on the plot. Meanwhile, we developed a comprehensive plan for furnishing, decorating the house, and designing the garden. Using so-called “mood boards,” we were able to discuss with family and friends the right atmosphere, as well as the combination of furniture, fabrics, and colors.

There was plenty of time to organize every detail: we selected new fabrics for beautiful old chairs we found in the Netherlands and Italy, and we collaborated with local Umbrian craftsmen to restore antique dressers, tables, and chairs exactly as we envisioned. The result is a home that reflects a mix of styles, constantly evolving as we discover new ideas and incorporate them into our space. You might call it eclectic; sometimes we jokingly call it our “design chaos”, but we love it, especially because it's our daily home.

Over the years, we have also been developing plans to renovate and expand the home, as it's about time. As is often the case with designers, the projects are always in progress, and every year we say: “Next year, we’ll start.”