Category Archives: Italian Villas

La Malcontenta

Posted August 19, 2015. Filed in Italian Villas, Palladian-Style

The Apollonian meets the Dionysian as the classical lines of the villa La Malcontenta rise up among the willows of the river Brenta in the Veneto area of Italy. The façade, which is plastered in powdered marble called marmarino, is famed for its Ionic pronaos, or pillared portico. For several years — since 2001, to […]

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Mediterranean Blues

The villa of Nicola del Roscio in the ancient fishing village of Gaeta, in the Lazio region of Italy, is quite possibly one of the most enchanting Italian villas I’ve laid my eyes on. My favorite – one I greatly admire and look to for endless inspiration – is the late Cy Twombly’s palazzo apartment […]

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The Last Swan’s Song: Villar Perosa

Posted August 19, 2014. Filed in Italian Villas, Maison Jansen, Marella Agnelli, Stéphane Boudin

For decades people, like myself – who love beautiful houses – have mused about the interior lives at Villar Perosa, the late Gianni Agnelli’s family legacy in the hills of Piedmonte, Italy, overseen today by its chatelaine, Gianni’s widow, Marella – the last of the living “swans”, the affectionate name Truman Capote gave his gaggle […]

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