“At Castello di Vicarello history lives on each path, in each stone and every wall sings a song of the ancient past.”

Crowning a hilltop amidst olive groves in southern Tuscany is a fairy tale castle come to life. But this castello is no dream. It’s a rustic luxe retreat that will sweep you up in its history, embrace you in its family’s arms and spoil you rotten with its quirky luxury. Aurora and Carlo Baccheschi Berti have restored the ruins of the twelfth century castle over many years and now play host to lucky guests who have the choice of seven luxury villas and suites. Rooms are filled with exquisite antiques and furniture and artifacts from the family’s life in Indonesia. As for the gardens and views. Sigh. A truly once in a life time experience. One day. One day I will go.

Contemporary architecture from Croatia. Family run firm DAR612 create family homes. From concept to completion the approach is holistic and the resulting homes all about shared space. Today I am featuring two apartment renovations that put the client, families, in the centre of the design. The family home is a stage for the rituals of everyday life, to share the precious times without being “precious” or over conceived. Bright, liveable, fun and friendly. A great canvas for the family’s personality. Although I’m concentrating on interiors today (this is an interiors blog remember) don’t miss their new build family homes for more inspiration.

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A quintessential English look. Soft, muted, feminine, atmospheric, timeless and most of all beautiful. The work of stylist, art director, interior designer Catherine Huckerby. (Previous post here.)

Refined and elegant, muted colours and old family antiques, stunning views and a pool perched on the edge of the valley. Glen Athan at Berry in the Kangaroo Valley, New South Wales. A 105-acre retreat with a house that blends Australian heritage design with contemporary luxury. Love the wide rustic floor boards, the tongue and groove walls, the wonderful old 12 pane windows and the view. An impressive family pile. For sale here while the link lasts. One would need lots of new money to buy this old money farmhouse.

I truly, truly believe that New Zealand is the most spectacular country on this earth. And if I wanted to sip fine wine, dine with a view and hot tub with an amazing vista then I might just have to do it at the Matakauri Lodge on Lake Wakatipu just minutes from Queenstown. Summer would be amazing but can you imagine winter? Light the fire, warm up the tub, amazing skiing is calling and if I could well… I would. I really, really would.