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I recently got my hands on a new book called A House Party in Tuscany and was reminded of just how much I love the interiors and gardens of Villa Arniano, interior designer Camilla Guinness’s farmhouse in Tuscany. Have you seen it? A House Party in Tuscany – Recipes, Stories and Art from Arniano was written by Amber Guinness, Camilla’s daughter and a self-taught cook, as part memoir, part cookbook and part love letter to a family home designed around beautiful things, gracious people and delicious, Italian-inspired, cuisine. Stunning interiors and mouth-watering recipes… Does it get any better than that?
Although Villa Arniano started out as a modest, dilapidated 17th-century farmhouse near Sienna in Tuscany, it has become one of the most beautiful homes in the area. Camilla and her late husband, Jasper Guinness, purchased it back in the 1980s and spent the following decade slowly transforming its interiors, restoring and reconfiguring the rooms to better suit their lifestyle and their growing family. The villa came with a 30-acre parcel of land and idyllic Tuscan views, enhanced over the years by the planting of a breathtaking garden. Cypresses and shrubs seamlessly divide the land into a series of smaller outdoor rooms, each one with its unique vistas and opportunities for relaxation.
Featured in Architectural Digest, House & Garden, Tatler and The Times, Villa Arniano is an ode to bohemian chic and a great example of Camilla Guinness’ design ethos, a meeting of British comfort with the simplicity of rural Tuscan decor. The furniture is a mixture of Italian country pieces, painted Tuscan chairs, cotton slipcovers brought to life with dashes of color and antique textiles, old tapestries and local pottery.
Set at Villa Arniano, A House Party in Tuscany is filled with tempting recipes inspired by the local cuisine. Simple, natural ingredients feature in soups, salads, tarts and, of course, pasta recipes. Add to all of that idyllic pictures of a house that looks like a postcard and you get a magic formula for a lifestyle bestseller. If you love Italian food and are curious to find out more about the story of Villa Arniano, I wholeheartedly recommend Amber’s new book!
Wishing you a lovely evening!
Oh my goodness. Every single room is just gorgeous!
Yes, nice interior and very lovely garden!
I’ve never been to Italy but one of my favorite movies is Enchanted April. Tuscany has always captured my imagination. I’ll have to search for this book.
Karen B.
Asparagus Tart looks amazing!