The Inspiration

“I wanted to create a place you could come home to.”

One day during a two week holiday in Italy, I started the day with an early morning run. When I reached the top of a small hill, I sat for a moment and took in the view. I saw rolling hills, farmers working the land, beautiful old castles and farm houses, vineyards and olive groves. It was almost more than one could take in.

On this day, my dream began to take shape and having a place in Italy for family, friends and guests to share was the base of this dream.

A few years later on a flight from Brussels to Rome, it dawned on me that I was buying a place in Italy. I knew it was in shambles, but it captured my imagination and my heart. I knew that this farmhouse and stable would make the perfect villa. I had started down the path leading to my dream.

I knew from the beginning that Fondo Le Teglie would have to be more that just a rental property. I wanted to create a place you could come home to.

That’s when Il Gusto del Paese was born. It means “a taste of the country.” That’s what I hope each of you will do — take a taste of Italy. I want Fondo Le Teglie to be a special space for friends and family to come together, to explore together, and to relax together surrounded by one of the most beautiful regions in the world. This is a place you can come home to — all the way in Italy. After all, what’s 5,000 miles or so between family and friends.

One Villa’s Renovation Story

Prior to the Search, I spent time researching the market, reading books, websites, etc. Getting an understanding of what the purchasing process is all about, legal issues and taxes, a list of criteria for a property, budget, revised budget, and much more. I wanted to be prepared for my arrival in Umbria.

Once the decision was made for Umbria, it was time to find an agent that spoke English and could show me properties. I started with the web to get some ideas but also reached out to anyone that I knew in Italy. Through a family connection, mom’s cousins’ cousin's, best friend’s son, I had the name and phone number of Ricky Caracciolo. To this day, we only explain the connection is through cousins, it is much easier.

I can remember the day vividly, I am sitting in my home office in Brussels and I pick up the phone to call Ricky. Well Riccardo Caracciolo answers the phone, “Pronto” the Italian phone greeting. While Riccardo is half Italian and half American, he went from Ricky to Riccardo very fast.

I explained a bit about what I was looking for, property renovated most likely because I didn’t speak Italian and needed to continue to work and needed help. I wanted a property to rent out and make a future business. I couldn’t believe it but he tells me what he does and how he specializes in helping foreign customers buy and renovate old, Italian properties. I ask the advantage of un-renovated vs. renovated, and his comment, “you get exactly what you want and you don’t pay for something only to tear it out and put something else in.” I thought, this is exactly what I am looking for. We talked for some time about the market, his projects, how he typically works with customers, etc. It ended in a plan to visit Todi and he would show me around and show me some of his work.
And this began...

The search began with a visit to Umbria in September 2002. Meeting Riccardo, seeing some of his work, and seeing several farms available for sale. During this visit I saw Fondo Le Teglie.

I began learning about the zoning and regulations of buying Italian property. Volume is important, not necessarily the condition as it can always be rebuilt. I also learned to look beyond the current state and visualize what it could become. This became very important as Fondo’s current tenants were sheep, pigs, chickens rabbits and a few dogs.

The search included 3 visits to Umbria, including a stay at the Castle in Sismano, many hours on the web, and lots of phone time and email with a couple of agents. With each visit in Umbria, I returned to Fondo Le Teglie and further discussions with Riccardo. And there ended the search. In January 2003 I made an offer to 'La Contessa' for Fondo Le Teglie and after a few iterations we agreed on a price and so began the purchase process and design.

“I learned early on that you have to look beyond the current state to have vision of what can become...”

Fondo Le Teglie. The Main house and Annex.
The Garage, currently full of Chickens
The Main house ground floor. What will become the kitchen.
The Main house ground floor. What will become the Living Room
An Upstairs room, future Bedroom. Will need some new window treatments.	The future Study.
Current Tenants in the Annex.