Discover Villa Arniano and Camilla Guinness

I love it when you see a house and it’s completely empty.The rooms were lovely in this house, very light and the old brick floors are such a warm colour.It seems a pity to put anything in it. It was pretty much a ruin. I didn’t really have a plan and we didn’t have much money to do it. We whitewashed everything ourselves and had very little furniture. The only thing we had was a huge “arrazzo finto” which is in the sitting room upstairs. We got it at a Christie’s sale in Florence. It didn’t  cost much because it was so big. Not the most practical buy.  We had friends who were selling their house and we bought various cupboards and a kitchen table from them. Then another friend was getting rid of their enormous bookcase and so on... I had some metal beds made and also a couple of very simple four posters that I hung with saris I brought back from India. I wanted the interior to be very simple but also glamorous. I think you can have a four poster and then have very little else in the room. And it’s a good way to ‘up’ the room without spending a lot of money.

A lot of lying down. Comfortable white sofas with beautiful textiles, coloured cushions, suzanis , Comfortable beds always with white bedspreads.  Quite simple basics with colour thrown in. High Low, I like a bit of Haute bohemian grandeur.and an Ikea rug.  If I like something it doesn’t matter to me where it comes from.

Rugs. I find a big rug in a sitting room , big enough for the sofa and chairs to be on the edge of, makes a huge difference. It pulls it together. Floors are rarely that nice and a small mean carpet doesn’t really do it. I like the Ikea Lohal. I have used them for as long as I can remember, not just at home but in jobs too.  And lighting of course. I hate bright lights and very white shades. Parchment coloured shades or pink or red, give a lovely warm light and make a room feel cosy.