Immaculately Restored Tuscan Farmhouse For Sale
A private retreat in one of the most coveted places in the world, the property is on the market with Cameron Avery of Prestige Properties Italy, a leading luxury real estate brokerage in Italy and full-service real estate advisory with property management expertise.
This property is listed for € 2,500,000 with Cameron Avery of Prestige Properties Italy.
This turnkey villa is set in the Chianti hills, considered the heart of Tuscany and Italy’s most beloved landscape.
Surrounded by rolling hills, vineyards, and its own olive groves, the property is just a short drive away from famous and notable towns and cities, like Florence, Lucca, Pisa, San Gimignano, and Siena.
Completely renovated to the highest standards, the villa features 5 ensuite bedrooms with marble baths and built-in wardrobes, designed as the perfect holiday home under the Tuscan sun.
With clean, contemporary styling throughout, the luxury home has been redesigned for modern living with an upgraded layout and amenities.
The open, light-filled spaces create a generous flow from formal to informal living areas. French doors throughout open out to the paved terraces which surround the home.
A 16m wet edge grey salt water infinity pool overlooks the lush landscape, with no neighbour in site. A truly private retreat in one of the most coveted corners of the world.
All photos belong to the listing agent.
Stay at the Sicilian Villa That Inspired Dolce & Gabbana
The striking residence is described as ‘Palladian villa meets St Peter’s, Rome’, flanking a large oval piazza accessible from the main piazza of the town of Bagheria, once a summer retreat of Palermo's aristocracy
It seems kismet to be writing about Villa Valguarnera while I’m reading ‘The Leopard’ (‘Il Gattopardo’) the timeless novel by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa. Considered one of the greatest works of Italian literature, the story chronicles the changes in Sicilian life and society during the Risorgimento (You can also watch the 1963 classic 1963 film adaptation by Luchino Visconti).
One look at this striking Sicilian villa and we can easily imagine what life was once like for Sicilian nobility and aristocracy in the 19th century. Today, Villa Valguarnera is owned by Principessa Vittoria Alliata di Villafranca, a descendant of one of the most important aristocratic families in Sicily.
It was built in 1712 by the architect Tommaso Napoli for the princess Anna Gravina. The Baroque villa was modernized in the neoclassical style by her niece, Marianna Valguearnera, influenced by the works of Count Francesco Algarottil, a Venetian polymath, philosopher, and student of Isaac Newton’s alchemical studies.
The villa became a haven for Enlightenment thinkers persecuted during the Inquisition. She hired architect Niccolò Cento, who improved on the existing design using the golden ratio to transform it into the shape of a key, the symbolic key of knowledge.
The villa features gnostic and Masonic symbolism throughout the villa, referencing 18th century scientific knowledge through murals and masonry: alchemy, astrology, esotericism, navigation and geography, mathematics, philosophy, and botany.
The golden villa would attract a number of thought leaders over the centuries, from Goethe, Stendhal and the exiled Queen of Austria to Salvador Dalì, Dacia Maraini and Manolo Blanik.
In 1806, Maria Amalia, the niece of the recently beheaded Marie Antoinette and daughter of the exiled King of Naples met Louis Philippe of France on the steps of the grand staircase and they fell in love at first sight.
They wed against the family’s wishes, and requisitioned the entire piano nobile (first floor) of the villa—the piano nobile that is now available for rent, featuring 3 grand reception rooms, a ballroom, 4 bedroom suites, a music room, kitchen with larder, and 3 terraces overlooking the gardens with views over the gulf of Palermo.
The princess still lives in a private apartment on the second floor, and if you’re lucky, she may be home to regale you with tales of its illustrious history and more recent past—like when the Mafia used a helicopter to steal a 2,000-tonne statue of the Cyclops right from her garden!
The striking residence is described as “Palladian villa meets St Peter’s, Rome”, flanking a large oval piazza accessible from the main piazza of the town of Bagheria, once a summer retreat of Palermo's aristocracy.
It's no surprise that Villa Valguarnera inspired Dolce and Gabbana: it was the set location for their 2016 Dolce Rosa Excelsa campaign, starring Sophia Loren.
All photos belong to the property. .
Ston Easton Park, A Palladian English Manor House Near Bath
Designed by English landscaper Humphrey Repton (often thought of as one of the last great gardeners of the 18th century, and a successor to Capability Brown), the gardens were laid out in the late 1700s.
This property is listed with Strutt and Parker for £9,500,000.
Ston Easton is a Grade-I listed Palladian English manor house near bath. Although the current building dates back to 1769, the estate has a rich history dating back 1000 years, with a mention in the medieval Domesday survey.
For over 400 years, the property was owned by the Hippisley family, yet by the mid-20th century, the property had been abandoned and fallen into disrepair, set for demolition.
Lord William Rees-Mogg, an editor at The Times, purchased the property from the Hippisley family and set about restoring the property. It wasn’t until hotelier Peter Smedley purchased the property from him in the 1970s that the majority of the restoration was completed and today, Ston Easton is a 20-room luxury hotel in the Bath countryside.
The most significant restoration project was the landscape. Designed by English landscaper Humphrey Repton (often thought of as one of the last great gardeners of the 18th century, and a successor to Capability Brown), the gardens were laid out in the late 1700s.
With walled gardens, terraced around a river, several green houses, orchards, and a rose garden, the 28-acre estate also features an original ornamental stone bridge which adds romance to an already fairytale-like estate.
All photos belong to the listing agency.
A Beautifully Maintained 19th Century French Château
On the market with Barnes Luxury Real Estate, this stunning French chateau property is located in the French province of Anjou, on the lower Loire River.
For those dreaming of their best life in the French countryside, look no further!
On the market with Barnes Luxury Real Estate—a major player in luxury real estate and an ambassador of French Art de Vivre—this stunning French château property is located in the French province of Anjou on the lower Loire River.
It’s just 30 minutes from the city of Angers, where a TGV can get you from there to Paris in under 2 hour (270km).
Set on 37 acres, the 19th century château is surrounded by a woodland park, which includes a walled garden and a charming pond, creating an atmosphere of total tranquility.
The château offers almost 14,000 square feet of living space with 20 rooms and several grand reception rooms, including a 19th century gallery.
A beautifully maintained property with enormous potential as a cherished second family home or an income-generating luxury vacation property, the estate comes with a guest house, horse stables, garages, kennel, stake, and bake house.
All photos belong to the listing agency.
You Can Vacation at This Former Aristocratic Sicilian Villa
Rocca delle Tre Contrade is available to book with The Thinking Traveler. The holiday home is priced between €18K to €54K a week, and comes fully staffed, including cook and maids.
Rocca delle Tre Contrade is a world-class luxury villa in Sicily available for as a vacation retreat. Renting by the week, the villa comes fully staffed, including cook and maids.
Surrounded by lemon groves, fruit orchards, and gardens, offering 360-degree views from the Ionian Sea to Mount Etna, close to Catania.
Built in 1850, the former aristocratic estate was abandoned in the 1960s. It was a labour of love to restore from the very beginning: there was no roof and trees were growing inside the villa!
Fully renovated over 4 years, today it is considered a top-level luxury villa for the discerning traveler, complete with a tennis court and a 25-metre infinity pool.
Milan-based Italian businessman Jon Moslet and his partner Marco Scire spent 5 years searching for the perfect property before they stumbled upon the abandoned Rocca delle Tre Contrade.
'At first, it was an idea rather than a plan,' explains Jon. 'But gradually, we became more practical and honed in on a particularly beautiful and verdant area around Mount Etna, on the east coast of the island.'
All photos belong to the listing agency.
Priscilla Presley’s Tuscan-Inspired Estate in the Heart of Beverly Hills
Current owner Priscilla Presley purchased the Holmby Hills home after her divorce with Elvis Presley in 1973. "We were very, very close”, she stated. “I wanted to make sure his house was near to our daughter, Lisa Marie."
This property is listed for $15,995,000 with Jonah Wilson of Hilton & Hyland.
This Tuscan-inspired estate is located in the heart of Beverly Hills, hidden behind private gates.
Set on one lush acre of grounds, the property offers total seclusion and privacy.
Built in 1951 the almost-9000 square foot property has been renovated and updated extensively, and features stunning craftsmanship and detail with vaulted ceilings, arched doorways, exposed beams, and rich panelling throughout.
The property is available for the first time in 45 years.
Bettman. Ghetty Images.
Current owner Priscilla Presley purchased the Holmby Hills home after her divorce with Elvis Presley in 1973. "We were very, very close”, she stated. “I wanted to make sure his house was near to our daughter, Lisa Marie."
The lavish villa boasts 7-bedrooms and 8.5 bathrooms (with an additional guest suite above the garage), and features a number of formal and informal living spaces, with nearly every room opening out onto the terraces that surround the home.
The resort-like atmosphere is enhanced by gardens, a pool, pool house, and tennis court.
All photos belong to the listing agency.
An English Mansion with its Own Castle
The Grade I listed Georgian house was designed by English architect Anthony Salvin and dates back to 1833—as does Mamhead Castle behind the house, built as a charming folly and copy of the 14th century Belsay Castle in Northumberland.
For those who can’t decide between a historic English mansion or a castle, you can now have both!
The Grade I listed Georgian house was designed by English architect Anthony Salvin and dates back to 1833—as does Mamhead Castle behind the house, built as a charming folly and copy of the 14th century Belsay Castle in Northumberland.
Built in local red sandstone, the castle was originally used to provide stabling, as well as a coach house, laundry and brewery, which was linked to the house cellars through a passage. Today the castle has been renovated to contain 6 office suites and can be rented out.
Mamhead House was built as a "Marriage House" for Robert Newman (an enormously rich shipping magnate) and his bride, Mary. Their initiates appear throughout the home, as does their family motto, "Ubi amor ibi fides", "Where there is love there is trust".
Built of Bath stone, the residence has 5 principal reception rooms, 5 additional reception rooms, and a long gallery hall "so big you could actually play cricket,” joked William Morrison, director and head of estates and farm agency in Strutt & Parker’s Exeter office.
The expansive property has 16 bedrooms, 8 bathrooms and an attic with a further 11 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.
There is also a 2-bedroom staff bungalow, as well as outbuildings and garages.
Set on 164 acres of rolling countryside with views of the East Devon coast, we particularly love the magnificent Italian sunken garden which surrounds the house.
It turns out that the house and grounds were improved based on plans provided by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown, England’s greatest gardener!
This property is truly something special.
Chateau Ridge: The Late Vince Camuto’s Greenwich Estate
Greenwich has become a hot spot for fashionable New Yorkers fleeing Manhattan, and what’s more in vogue than a Normandy-style château?
The property was listed at auction this summer, but is still on the market for $7,600,000 by Shelly Tretter Lynch of Compass Greenwich.
Greenwich has become a hot spot for fashionable New Yorkers fleeing Manhattan, and what’s more in vogue than a Normandy-style château?
Built in 1927, Chateau Ridge (also known as Ream Chateau) had been left derelict until it was purchased in the 1980s by the late Nine West founder and shoe designer Vince Camuto, who left the city to move to the country with his wife, Louise Camuto, and their son Phillip.
Owner Louise Camuto stated “I’ve been here for a long time, and we have loved living here. It’s a year-round house that you enjoy both in the summer and in the winter… It’s a perfect place to raise a family.”
The chateau was meticulously restored under Jim Xhema (who famously worked on Tommy Hilfiger’s Greenwich home), and was lavishly furnished with art and antiques amassed around the world by the owners and avid collectors.
Set on a private 4.66 acre lot, the property features a beautiful courtyard and Renaissance-inspired gardens with box tree mazes and a stone pergola.
A resort-style pool complex includes a pool house, hot tub and grotto.
The property also includes a tennis court with a stone tennis house, and a seperate 2 bedroom guest house. Inside the residence there are 11 bedrooms and 18 bathrooms.
Standout features include a Great Room with 40 foot ceilings and 91-foot beams across, imported antique panelling and custom flooring.
The master suite features antique library panelling by 17th-century English master carver Grinling Gibbons, as well as a jaw-dropping hall of mirrors dressing room with ornate gold-leaf plasterwork.
There’s also a Constellation Room with 40-foot high domed ceilings, complete with fibre-optic stars designed to replicate the night sky on Camuto’s birth date, June 4, 1936.
All photos belong to the listing agency.
Orchard Hill Farm: A Picture-Perfect Equestrian Estate
The classic country home is an original farmhouse dating back to 1937, which has been meticulously updated for modern living.
This property is listed for $5,495,000 by William Pitt Sotheby's Realty.
The classic country home is an original farmhouse dating back to 1937 which has been meticulously updated for modern living.
With 7500 sq ft of living space, the 6-bedroom, 5-bathroom residence is designed for elevated family living. The kitchen has been fully renovated and features state-of-the-art appliances, a cozy family room with fireplace, a breakfast nook, and butler and food pantries.
We particularly love the custom designed glass conservatory which was added off of the formal living room.
There is an outdoor kitchen and saltwater pool/spa on the property, and the estate has its own apple orchard and putting green, in addition to a 9-stall barn with wash stall, lounge, hay loft and powder room.
A 3-bedroom stone cottage completes the property, which straddles Ridgefield, CT, and South Salem, NY.
All photos belong to the listing agency.
Tommy Hilfiger’s Connecticut Estate Lists for $47.5M
Fresh on the market, Tommy Hilfiger’s instagram-worthy Connecticut estate may just break the internet.
Fresh on the market, Tommy Hilfiger’s instagram-worthy Connecticut estate may just break the internet. Built in 1939 for real estate tycoon George V. Paterno, called "Napoleon of the Manhattan Skyscraper Builders".
Tommy and Dee Hilfiger spent 6 years renovating the estate with the help of an all-star team: interior designers Martyn Lawrence Bullard and Cindy Rinfret, landscape designer Miranda Brooks, and architectural firms Andre Tchelistcheff Architects and Xhema Industries all contributed to the effort.
The home was featured in @archdigest Architectural Digest (February, 2017) and honoured with a 2015 Stanford White Award.
The 6 bedroom, 7 bathroom home is spread across 13,344 square feet of lavish living space designed for high living: a theatre room, wine cellar and tasting room, a Gilded Age cocktail bar, and six fireplaces.
The beamed great hall exudes Old World elegance, with a baronial Elizabethan-style staircase ascends along a striking upward in a soaring leaded-glass bay.
Meticulous attention to detail in the carved millwork, plasterwork, decorative painting, wide-board and limestone floors, and fine textile wall coverings to achieve an English country estate aesthetic, with French Gothic touches.
Designed for entertaining, each of the main floor living areas opens out to the engaging outdoor living spaces.
Meticulously restored and maintained, the Trophy Estate provides sweeping views at Greenwich’s highest point, stretching as far as the Manhattan skyline, and Long Island Sound from the expansive great lawn.
The property boasts 4 gardens, inspired by European estates: a fountained rose garden, boxwood knot garden, a water garden with koi pond and a topiary garden completes this backcountry oasis.
There is a greenhouse on the property, a tennis court that doubles as a basketball call, a guest house, a detached four-bay garage, as well as a tea house which has been converted into a security pavilion.
All photos belong to the listing agency.