Villa: an airy country residence
Think of a villa and a luminous summer estate probably springs immediately to mind, all landscaped gardens and grand towers. The term originates in the Roman Empire, when it was used by the likes of Cicero and Pliny the Younger to describe their holiday homes in the Italian countryside. You’ll find ruins dotted about today, the most famous of which is perhaps the fanciful terraces of Hadrian’s villa at Tivoli.
Villas can also carry a classic connotation, with soaring wooden beams and country kitchens. This falls in line with Pliny’s description of the ‘villa rustica’, which is more of an elegant farmhouse than a sophisticated estate. These rambling residences received an upgrade during the Renaissance, with greater emphasis on symmetry and lush garden features. Today’s villas can be quite modern and minimalist, but there is still the same emphasis on outdoor landscaping as well as an airy interior.