Breathtakingly beautiful

No words. Honestly I am struck dumb with awe. Do such places exist? After the wonderful images in the last post of YLAB's latest apartment taken by Jordi Canosa with styling by Daniela Cavestany I went to Sr Canosa's website to drink in more inspiration. Then I found this. Albergo della Civita.  Matera, Italy. UNESCO world heritage listed. The hotel is spread over a number of Sassi or caves, simply furnished. Lovingly restored. You can read more here. Breathtakingly beautiful ... photos and hotel.

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Ábaton

An abandoned stables in the western province of Cáceres in Spain carefully renovated by architectural and development firm Ábaton. A stunning family home that not only makes you want to pack your bags and book a flight to Spain because someone made a mistake ... you're sure this is your home ... but also makes you feel warm and fuzzy because it's sustainable as well. Solar panels supply energy during the summer while turbines take advantage of the two streams that run through the property providing electricity in the winter. Rain water is returned to the ground. Materials are recyclable.  Large expanses of stone floors provide thermal mass. Una casa de inspiración.

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Glamping in the snow

... in Les Giettes, Swiss Alps, Switzerland. Except I've heard that it has been the driest autumn in Switzerland since .... well I wasn't listening that closely ... and there is no snow. Tell me it isn't so! A girl from a subtropical land can dream of deep banks of snow though. And a girl who hates camping can dream of glamping with bathrooms and beds and hairdryers and heating and dinners provided. Whitepod. My kind of camping. Via Welcome Beyond.

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House hunting in the country

House hunting sounds so much more "adult" than real estate stalking. Not that I'm looking to bag any houses this particular house hunting season. My bag limit was definitely one and I'm done. Still I seem to be drawn to country cottages and getaway boltholes. In places with fruit trees and hedges, a vege garden, old wooden sheds, quiet country lanes and a well stocked local deli with cheese room and wine cellar just down the road. Perhaps a cafe with a famous, now "retired" barista. Somewhere I can rough it with a cappuccino or some gelati. This cottage might just do me fine. It's just outside Daylesford in Victoria. A little decluttering, a few more found industrial pieces and a wine fridge. Every weekender needs a wine fridge :P Link here while it lasts.

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Rustic spaces

Rustic farmhouse-style spaces with a sense of history. So charming. The works of French interior designer Isabelle Heureux.