Tucked away in a quiet corner of Tuscany is the beautifully restored turn-of-the-century Liberty-style Villa Montanara. Looking out over wooded hills (including its own chestnut wood) with views of the highest peaks of the Apuan Alps, the villa is on the edge of two National Parks. Despite the hot summers, the property is light and airy with windows on two sides of every room and cool marble and stone flooring. The large private swimming pool just a few steps from the villa incorporates a shallow play area for young children; and has internal lights for night-time use. There are terraces at the front and back to provide sun and shade at all times of the day; and next to the pool is a stone-built pizza oven with a terrace (and plenty of wood).
The drive leads past the front lawn to the front doors where there is parking for three cars. The front hall leads to the large marble-tiled sitting rooms to the right. Each of these is 5m (16 feet) square with high 3m (10 feet) ceilings. They are linked by double French doors and each has double shuttered windows, and double doors leading to the front terrace and lawn with trampoline and hammock.
Opposite these are the marble-tiled dining room and modern kitchen with the same dimensions and linked by a large arch. In anticipation of parties we have a large dining table inside (and two further tables on the front and rear terraces.) and there is plenty of china, glasses and cutlery and two dishwashers to ensure no one ever needs to wash up anything. The kitchen also includes a cool granite work surface; a large American-style fridge-freezer with crushed ice and iced water dispensers; an ice cream maker; a De Longhi espresso and capuccino maker; a breadmaker (useful for pizza dough); electric ceramic hob and oven; microwave; toaster and, for those who want tea, a kettle.
Each of the kitchen and dining room leads out through double doors to the private south-facing deck and gardens. The deck incorporates deck lights for use in the evenings and looks out over the rear gardens, pizza oven, pool and countryside.
The rear garden slopes gently down to the 12m x 5m pool which was designed for both confident swimmers with a depth of 1.5m, and for young children and therefore incorporates three wide steps forming the shallow end where children can play safely and parents can lie in the sun. The water jets incorporated into the steps can perform a rigorous hydromassage for shoulders and back. The pool is private and not overlooked.
The terrace round the pool has 6 sun loungers; and for shade there is a curtained gazebo. One of the apple trees also provide shade over part of the pool terrace during the mornings. The underwater pool lights allow for night-time dips; and if you want to keep the daytime warmth in the water, there is a rollered solar cover which keeps the warmth in overnight and adds heat during the day.
Adjacent to the pool is the stone-built pizza oven with plenty of wood, and a pizza paddle. The terrace here is where the barbecue is kept.
Below the pool is a meadow area with wild flowers and beyond that, the chestnut wood and views over the mountains. The gardens include mature fruit trees producing figs, apricots, hazelnuts, plums, cherries and apples.
Upstairs are the four bedrooms. Each of them has long double windows with internal and external shutters. The master bedroom includes an antique brass king-size bed and an en-suite marble lined bathroom with twin walk-in showers; the second bedroom includes a double bed and marble-tiled bathroom; the third bedroom includes original Tuscan twin beds; and the fourth bedroom includes a king-size bed together with a single bed. Any of these bedrooms can accommodate the cot.
We have tried to be environmentally-friendly with the restoration and the lettings, using locally-produced Kerakoll ("..the international leader in the GreenBuilding sector") products. We have also sourced organic cotton bed linen and towels; and the 500l tank of hot water is heated via the solar panels on the roof.
