Displaying posts labeled "Castle/Manor"

For today’s Sunday castle I have what is actually a villa in Sicily but it has very castle-like architecture so let’s call it a castle, shall we? 🙂 This is a beauty! Surrounded by vineyards and olive groves outside the Sicilian fishing town of Mazara del Vallo is a castle-like villa that dates back to the 17th century. Complete with turrets and towers, this fortified farmhouse was originally built as a monastery, and later became the centre of a local wine business. Now, the ground floor of this family-owned property is an elegantly furnished holiday retreat. The eclectic interiors feature pieces collected during the owners’ extensive travels across the globe: a Chinese-style library, a canary yellow living room with Brazilian ceramics, and a Moroccan-influenced suite all tell stories of a life well-lived. It’s easy to while away afternoons over long, lazy lunches within the walled orangery; there’s also a palm-fringed pool and a private tennis court. Santa Maria Villa available to stay, via The Perfect Getaway.

Last year I shared a glimpse of the château/farmhouse of designer Pierre Yovanovitch in Fabrègues, Provence. I came across more photos (by Julien Oppenheim and Jerome Galland) that I thought were a must-share. This home is jaw-droppingly beautiful inside and out and I don’t even know what more to say other than WHAT A DREAM!

Be still my heart. This 15th century manor home in the countryside of Normandy, called La Carlière, is home to British fashion designer Peter Copping and his French husband Rambert Rigaud. The 6 year renovation of this spectacular home transformed it into a liveable, comfortable home that is an absolute dream. (Photos: Alexis Armanet for Architectural Digest France and Billal Taright for the Financial Times)

Oh so this is what heaven looks like! A 15th century Croatian compound (or castle to flow with my new Sunday theme) complete with a medieval tower, restored by New York–based architect Steven Harris and his husband, interior designer and artist Lucien Rees Roberts. I have to say that in all my years of blogging this is up there as one of the most spectacular properties I have ever seen. What a gem! (Photos: Scott Frances)

What was once a completely uninhabitable, crumbling, 12th century, 35,000 sq ft castle that sat untouched for over 60 years (see photo below), became an absolutely marvelous estate thanks to architect Domenico Minchilli and interior designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard, who designed the castle as it would have been 200 years ago (maybe with the kitchen taking exception). This is exactly how you should redo a castle, by paying homage to its history. (Photos: Oberto Gili for Architectural Digest and Martyn’s website)