f you have ever rented a villa, estate (tenuta) or farmhouse (cascina or fattoria) in Italy, you have surely experienced la dolce vita.

Cypress-lined lanes wind through vineyard-covered landscape of the "secret" Tuscany and Umbria to the north which offer breathtaking views of Medici-era fortresses and farmhouses in the hills beyond. Vacationing in an Italian country home offers an intimate way to experience the country's traditional ways of life one may want to experience here at home. This is the style we have attempted to capture in our Italian home plan collection.

From lavender-edged walkways to the natural stone exterior, the houses appear firmly rooted to the earth.  Drawn by the beauty of landscape and light, Italian homes are welcoming and warm.  Simple yet practical devices for admitting light or creating privacy, shutters are a common design element throughout.  Low sloping, red-clay-tile roofs, and buff-colored stucco walls offer a perfect counterpart for the green hillsides and withstand the test of centuries. 

We hope you are as enamored of this pristine region as we are, and will take our tour of Classic Italian homes in search of the perfect one for you.