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This villa offers guests an authentic at-home experience surrounded by the unspoiled green of the Tuscan countryside. This spacious private home celebrates the rustic appeal of an ancient 'casa colonica' in combination with a strong modern aesthetic, perfectly reflecting the owner's personal taste and style. For a relaxed vacation without pretense, enriched by the essential pleasures of fresh air, good food and deep sleep, it is an excellent choice. The setting provides ample opportunity to enjoy family and friends in an unhurried environment, removed from crowds. Children have plenty of room to roam out of doors and excursions are easy. The house sits roughly one kilometer outside San Casciano dei Bagni, a charming and increasingly chic stone hill-town, recently made famous by the opening of an exceptional new spa. Here you can live the village life first-hand, de-stress in thermal baths and wander as you will across Tuscany or Umbria. When you are ready for delving into the rich cultural history of the area, you can choose among excursions to well-known towns such as Montepulciano, San Quirico and Pienza; La Foce and Bagno Vignoni, Radicofani or Orvieto; Bagnoregio and Civitavecchia. Within 25 minutes you are in Chiusi for the fast train to Florence or Rome. Importantly, Rancioli offers a place where you do not need an agenda. You can fall asleep under a shady tree after lunch, swim by moonlight and forget time on a quiet backroad.
The villa was originally restored in 1991, from a forgotten ruin once occupied by two large farming families who raised cows and planted grain. The house was further enhanced with a thoughtful renovation and parital refurbishment, during the winter of 2003, completely in keeping with the strong, unsentimental attitude it has always had. A long, rough driveway brings you to the north end of the property, and shaded parking for six cars. The villa stretches across an open hillside, with a view of Mount Cetona to the north. Only two other houses can be seen on the opposite ridge. The lawn is broad and open, front and back, with a handful of tall shade trees and young flower beds for color. The west lawn, in front of the house, includes the Dependence, a dining pergola and a series of raised beds for vegetables. The east lawn includes a new canvas-covered dining patio alongside the house with a south-facing view. Ivory canvas curtains can be drawn to provide additional shade. Beyond the unstructured edge of the lawn is woodland with old, overgrown country roads still visible, and providing an invitation to walkers, young or not so young, who want to wander.
The lawn at the south end of the house leads to an informal stone path and the large pool (8 x 17 meters) set on a partially shaded slope with a view across to the neighbors' old olive grove. There are new sun beds for under the trees or in full sun. At one end is a rustic changing room. The pool area has been lit for enjoyment at night.
A remarkable property, combining the classic beauty of Tuscan architecture and materials with the sure, contemporary design style of the Rome-based, art-gallery owner. Each room offsets the original architecture - old, handmade cotta- or travertine-tiled floors, tempera-painted cassettone ceilings and rough stucco walls - with carefully selected pieces from the owner's extensive collection of contemporary art and objects. Pale, color-washed walls mix casually with furniture constructed in a pared-down, modern style of basic materials - wood, stone and iron. Soft furnishings - ivory linen slipcovers, flower-print chairs, blue and white mattress-ticking bedspreads, simple hanging drapes of natural linen or cotton - are similar from room to room lending to the overall consistency and harmony of the house. There are doors opening to the surrounding lawns wherever possible, adding to the easy flow of living indoors and out. Every bedroom has one screened window for comfortable sleeping. The baths are all ensuite and designed for functionality; all but one are equipped with large stall or open showers. The tones are cool and soft and promote simple, good living.
The villa is distinguished by the staff - a team of two devoted women from the village who treat the property as their own, and visitors as personal guests. They are of generous spirit and enormous heart, helping to transform a vacation into a cross-cultural exchange of pleasure and appreciation. The primary caretaker and cook is exceptionally talented and resourceful, finding mushrooms in the hills behind the house and transforming the spiny leaves of a nettle plant into succulent ravioli wth the help of a local goat's cheese. It is these fundamental joys that have burnished the memories of many guests over the years.
GROUND FLOOR
Iron gate opens to square courtyard, the corners and edges softened with young roses and potted shrubs. Doorways open on two sides into the living room and kitchen. Short staircase leads to apartment for the on-site gardener and his wife (not always in residence).
Spacious new living room/dining room with five double glass doors, dressed with floor-to-ceiling natural muslin drapes, opening to the east lawn and dining pergola. Oversized working fireplace anchors sitting area for ten on linen couches and red-cushioned, bamboo armchairs. A long modern dining table for 12 sits below two west-facing windows for casual meals indoors. The suffused light of the room is relaxing and cooling. As throughout the house, there are carefully selected and dynamic works of modern art on the walls.
Guest bath.
Large vestibule leads to enormous working kitchen (eight gas-burners, two ovens, large fridge, freezer, two dishwashers, commercial-style sink, ice maker) with numerous built-in cupboards for storage. Long window overlooks north lawn. Double door opens to entrance courtyard.
Intimate 'winter garden' with two linen-covered bamboo couches and original, rustic sink. Opens to west lawn through an arched, iron-grated doorway, and leads to vestibule with handsome mosaic in the floor, executed by a prominent contemporary artist. Staircase leads to upper level. Utility room with service bath and shower, plus large pantry with washing machines. Ironing room.
Charming library with book-filled, wire-front custom-made cabinets and antique clock which chimes beautifully every quarter hour. Handsome table for six with chairs provide a good place for reading or writing. Sitting area for five with couch, armchair and pouf set before very large working fireplace. Owner's desk with computer (not for clients' use). CD player. Double door opens to the west lawn.
Breakfast room with sideboard; wood table and chairs seat 12. Rattan couch accommodates three who want to linger with coffee or consult a guidebook. Double doors lead directly out onto the west lawn. Spiral staircase leads upstairs.
Blue Wing. Breakfast kitchen (4-burner stove, two small fridges, oven, double sinks) with all the breakfast supplies ready at hand. Also functions as easy self-service kitchen for guests wanting a cold drink or snack. Direct access to the back patio.
Blue Wing. Delightful double bedroom (queen) with double doors opening to the east lawn at the end of the house. South-facing window is high-placed. Freshly redecorated with ivory- and red-flower motif fabric on bed, drapes and coordinating fabric on two side chairs. Armoire and dresser. Ensuite bath (tub with hand-held shower).
Blue Wing. Large double bedroom (twins cannot combine) with small west-facing screened window plus door (retractable screen) opening to west lawn. Retractable awning provides shade from the sun. Simple built-in closet with shelves. Low round table perfect for young children at play. Ensuite bath (shower stall with curtain).
Blue Wing. Two steps down to commodious single bedroom (French) refurbished with new fabric on bed. Simple built-in closet with shelves. Large desk set below west-facing window. Double doors open to west lawn. Retractable awning. Ensuite bath (shower stall with curtain).
Private entrance through double doors from east pergola to new double bedroom (two French beds, cannot combine) with ivory print spread and red linen headboards. Built-in bookshelf plus writing table. Separate dressing room with dresser and open closet. Ensuite bath (shower stall with curtain).
FIRST FLOOR
Stairs from entrance hall arrive in large high-ceilinged sitting room. An enormous hearth is surrounded by two, ivory canvas-covered couches and two rattan armchairs, accommodating seven. Screened windows to east and mountain view. On the east face of the room, double doors open to iron railing plus a screened window. Built-in bookshelves with many English titles. TV with satellite. Four steps lead up to Yellow Wing.
Yellow Wing. Spacious double bedroom (queen) with mattress ticking on bed and drapes. Armoire with drawers and hanging space. View to west lawn and green-covered hills. Ensuite bath (narrow, open shower, no curtain ).
Yellow Wing. Generous single bedroom (twin) with high-backed upholstered love seat for reading. Writing table and chair. Screened window opens to the west. Dressing area with closet. Ensuite bath (open stall with curtain) with north-facing view over roofs of courtyard.
Yellow Wing. Double bedroom (twins cannot combine) with screened window overlooking the dining pergola and a broad querce tree to the east. You will awake to the chatter of unseen flocks of birds in the trees, already busy at the start of the day. Writing desk and chair. Dresser plus built-in closet. Ensuite bath (open shower with curtain).
Yellow Wing. Intimate single bedroom (twin) with screened window also overlooking the east lawn. Built-in closet. Writing table. Large ensuite bath (stall shower with curtain).
Luminous, second sitting room under high sloping ceiling. Seating area for 10 at upholstered white cotton couch with red piping, plus several red/white upholstered armchairs. Long sideboard for books and fax machine. A particularly striking tall oval table with iron base and Carrara marble top sits proudly holding an enormous, ancient marble container. West-facing window plus double doors opening to an original external staircase. Leads to the patio along the east facade.
Pink Wing. Commodious double bedroom (twin beds can combine) with screened window overlooking west lawn, Dependence and wooded hills. Writing desk. Built-in closet with shelves. Ensuite bath (open shower with curtain).
Pink Wing. High-ceilinged double bedroom suite (queen) with loveseat and writing table. Screened window opens to south-facing view towards pool. Ceiling fan. Armoire with shelves and bar. Ensuite bath (open shower with curtain).
Pink Wing. Charming single bedroom (French bed) enjoys morning light through screened, east-facing window. Diminuative upholstered armchair with pouf. Writing desk. Built-in closet with shelves. Ensuite bath (shower stall with curtain).
DEPENDENCE
Independent building to the west of the main house, reached across open lawn. Straw-covered dining pergola with table for eight along north facade. Raised beds for the kitchen garden along the south facade.
Double doors off north and south facades into spacious sitting area for three before raised hearth. Alcove accommodates single bed (twin), most suitable for a child. Closet. Screened window with east-facing view of the house.
Partial wall conceals large double bedroom (twins can combine) with ivory-print fabric on beds. Double doors open to both pergola and vegetable garden. Screened window with open view to wooded hills and Monte Cetona.
Ensuite bath (shower stall with curtain).
Notes
The villa has a great staff that will do anything for you. They bring fresh bread and pastry in the morning. The cooking is superb. Will shop, cook and serve. Hair-dryers in every bathroom. Traditional grates on some ground-floor windows. Screens on windows as indicated, but not on double doors. The lawn and natural woodland setting is not treated with chemicals. French beds could accommodate two small children; please inquire. Customized excursions and events can also be arranged; please inquire.
Points Of Interest
San Casciano dei Bagni (thermal baths, restaurants, shops): 5 mins.
Autostrada/Chiusi (all shopping, trains): 25 mins.
Montepulciano, Pienza, San Quirico: 35 mins.
Orvieto: 45 mins.
Rome: 1 1/2 hrs.
Florence, Rome Airport: 2 hrs.
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