Our Medieval Home in Umbria

the foyer

a little space of peace

in the kitchen

kitchen herb garden

in the kitchen

bathroom

lucia's bed

my studio was the living room

paintbrushes in my studio 

master bedroom

anyone want a cappuccino?

Our apartment is grand with high ceilings and thick walls, short doorways, you can’t hear what someone is saying in the other room.  Before you start to feel envious, I’m a perpetual renter.  I never owned anything and if I did, I would blow it out of the box it would be so gorgeous.

This is just a little look into our space.

My mother advised when I was young, “never marry an architect, the house will never be done”.  I married myself because I’m always working to change the space around.  I love to create little spaces of peace and beauty, even if there is chaos and spider webs around that space.

I have been known to say to my girls, “pleassse don’t leave your shoes, guitar, backpacks in the middle of the floor.

Alfredo (my darling) says, “kids learn from example”. 

Isn’t that the scary truth.

And to my girlfriends I say, “I will not die with a vacuum cleaner in my hand”.  They might respond we can see that won’t happen.

It is not feminist to clean the house all the time, we need to do something of value.

If you are going to for one second say you are not a feminist.  I’ll just ask you if you want equality for woman?

Back to home, I believe the most important thing of all is when you or your loved ones walk in the door they have that warm, joyful feeling of “I’m home”.  Maybe it is raining out or maybe the sun is filtering in at an angle, there might be warm bread baking in the oven, a solitary flower in a jar of water and silence, or the sound of the tea kettle whistling and music blasting in unison.

With affection,

Natalie