Loft, Casentino, Tuscany

Entering Casentino is like stepping into an enchanted wood. The sky is a narrow slice of blue among the intricate canopy of beeches, helms, lime trees and maples, stretching tall and straight like verdant spears. Leaves carpet the ground, falling delicately over moss-encrusted rocks. Wolf and eagle, deer and wild boar roam the dark depths of the forest. The Foreste Casentinesi are one of the most untamed corners of Tuscany, a place of muffled quiet, thin early morning mists and lone, thick-walled hermitages.
At the foot of this lush wilderness stands the ancient town of Stia, watched over by the forbidding towers of Palagio Fiorentino and the earlier Castello Porciano, where Dante may have been kept prisoner in 1289.
It is here, in the historic heart of the town, that Casa Travella are selling an extraordinary loft. A traditional Tuscan façade hides atmospheric interiors that blend rustic Italian charm with modern design.
Ancient floorboards, exposed beams and flowing curtains are the backdrop for a mix of Art Deco and vernacular furniture, with some contemporary touches thrown in. The ground floor is laid out as a large open space, while the first floor is taken up by a bedroom, living room, kitchen, dressing room and a beautiful bathroom with rolltop tub.
“This property has been featured in many design magazines worldwide, including World of Interiors, for the unusual and attractive way in which it has been furnished,” explains Linda Travella of Casa Travella, who adds: “It must be viewed.”
The asking price is a reasonable €260,000. Contact Casa Travella for further information (+44 (0)1322 660988, www.casatravella.com).