At the tippy top of Tuscany, there is a very ancient region called the Lunigiana. It’s not a tourist destination, in fact very few people outside Italy know about it. It is near Carrara, Italy located just inside the coastline, and rimmed with mountains, this region is very unique. Read more about it
here.* See map.
My longtime friend and shopping partner in crime- the multi-talented Forrest Spears is a designer/ writer and a stylist in his own right. He has lived in Italy for 25 years and bought a very lovely stone compound in Lunigiana (about 3 years ago) and has been painstakingly restoring it to its former glory, not to mention his own unexpected design twists.
About a 3-hour drive from my home by the sea, Vivi (my trusty travel companion she’s a mini wirehaired dachshund) and I decided to finally make the trip and check out Forrest’s handy work. I had never seen it in real life, only on
his blog, so I was totally excited to see it and get some much needed face time with Forrest.
Not surprised at all by what I saw, the house was ready for a World of Interiors photoshoot. Forrest and his partner Roberto are avid educated collectors. Pretty sure, like me, they were born to shop. Their combinations are simply marvelous and their interpretation of Italian décor is always exciting. The house is a combination of cabinet of curiosities and tongue and cheek design and historical correctness. These men have the touch.
As Forrest prepared lunch for us, I snapped a few shots… enjoy and let me know what you think! Make sure to follow his design adventures on his
Italian House blog.
Grazie Mille Forrest and Roberto, you are always so inspiring. XOBTW! I am encouraging Forrest to write a book about his life, his story in Italy is really amazing. Oh! + his life story involves shoes (he used to design them) so you know I’m in.
