Yes, it’s the day of our Charity Auction on Tuscany Island, and I’m going to be talking here about the castle that is the centre of the auction.
You can read here about how to bid, and here about who the money raised is destined for.
But here I want to tell you something about the castle itself.
It was created (as a replica of Castle Brolio) by Dax Fergusson, but when four designers, all invited by Prim Perfect, moved in, it was simply a hollow shell – a single large, empty room.
The two designers at the core of the project, Xylo Hasp of Xylo, and Dellybean North of True North Design, began to plan how the castle could be re-modelled. It was Delly who did a lot of the remodelling work, creating the layout that you can see at the top of this post, and here too. She created the trompe-l’œil on the northern wall, with its lovely vista of a garden, and added the elegant fountain (if you look carefully, you can see that most Tuscan of flowers, a sunflower).
I love the way she has created links from one room to another on this floor, with the stunning wrought iron doors/gates, echoed in the bannisters that lead to the upper flights and in the carved escutcheons placed high of the walls which allow light to pass through.
And so one passes into the main room – no sombre great hall, but a light and airy reception room with comfortable chairs drawn up around a great fire (not used in the summer months, but clearly all ready for winter).
The glowing warm gold of the furnishings picks up the warmth of Tuscan sunlight, but the beauty of the build can be see in small details – the intricacy of the marquetry work on a side table; the carvings that decorate the fireplace. All combine to give the sense of a castle that has existed and endured for hundreds of years, but which is not locked in the past. Rather, it has gone on to find a role in the modern world.
Key rooms are to be found to the left and right of this central reception room.
To the left is the dining room.
Once again, this is a warm room, re-enforced by the rich colours on the chairs and plates. The furniture here is Xylo’s, and he is excellent at creating this sort of warm, relaxed atmosphere in a room. And clearly, this is no formal dining room to be hurried away from as quickly as possible – these are chairs made to relax in, just as the place settings suggest that the meal will be highly enjoyable for all concerned.
(Pssst – whoever is lucky enough to buy the castle will need to bring their own wine!)
To the right of the Reception Room, you’ll find a cool, long room that beautifully combines the functions of study and library. The library has a cosy area for reading at one end (the drawings on the wall might suggest the owner is an architect, or perhaps just a lover or architecture). You might spot the easel first, through Delly’s lovely ironwork doors. In fact this vista, with the doors leading to Xylo’s easel beyond, are an object lesson in just hopw well these two designers worked to create a really stunning build.
And later today, it could all be yours!
(In an hour or so, I shall post a description of the upper floor with its really fantastic bathroom, and of the beautiful roof garden, created by Anhayla Lycia).
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Notes
The successful bidder will be expected to abide by the terms of the Tuscany convenant (a very standard one, making sure that residents agree to respect the integrity of the sim). A copy of the convenant can be read here. The successful bidder will still pay tier upon the land s/he purchases. The owners of Tuscany reserve the right to withdraw the sale if the reserve price is not met.
Prim Perfect 