Decoration in Villa Bella Estança
You have probably seen in our photos many of the details that decorate Villa Bella Estança. You may have payed more attention at one or the other, and you may have wondered why so many paintings or even some sculptures. In this post we explain the origin of many of these elements. Are you ready to discover what decorates our house? So keep reading, let’s get started!
Singer Machines like this are part of many homes today because about 70/80 years ago, our grandmothers sewed with them. In the case of ours, it belonged to Aunt Caterina, the sister-in-law of Aunt Joana, the first owner of Villa Bella Estança. It wasn’t part of this house, but when we redecorated it, we knew we couldn’t get rid of it. We love it. We think it conveys tenderness and nostalgia, and we like that there is also an element that had been from Aunt Caterina in Castelldefels. You can find it under the stairs. We think it fits perfectly in this corner, as neither the sewing machine nor the stairs have ever been refurbished, if not simply well-preserved.
Many of the elements that decorate Villa Bella Estança are photos of places we really like. In the case of these that surround the office door, they are photos taken by ourselves. The two large ones portray two corners of the Costa Brava, made by my father, as well as the second one on the right, which is from the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. The photo above, of a sunset, is taken in Fray Bentos, Uruguay, the town where my mother is from. The third is made by me and is a handmade fabric portrayed in a market in Purmamarca, northern Argentina, in August 2014. And the one below is part of one of the graffiti in Berlin, made by me brother on his interrail. The order of the photos is not in vain either. They go from the older to the youngest, that is, Amparo, Jaume, Alba and Guille.
This pair of paintings, as you will see, portray the Guggenheim Museum and the city of Bilbao. Yes, I know that this city has already appeared in another photograph, but my parents are in love with this Basque city, and its main emblem. They have been there a lot of times, and whenever they go there, they visit the museum. My brother and I also really like his architecture, his cuisine and most of all, his people. If we had to live in another city, it would undoubtedly be Bilbao.
The 3 clocks that preside over the dining room wall attract the attention of everyone who enters Villa Bella Estança. If you look at it, not everyone marks the same time. The largest and the smallest do indicate the time of Castelldefels, but the colored one indicates four hours before. Do you know why? So, very simple: this indicates the time of Uruguay and Argentina. My mother is Uruguayan and part of our family lives in these countries, which is why we always want to keep in mind the time our people live on the other side of the ocean. But the three clocks are not alone on the wall. The other three paintings that, at first glance, may look the same even though they are not, were painted by my uncle. And what are they? Well they have a curious story. This design was made on a large scale as the setting for the play Hamlet that my father directed with his students about fifteen years ago, and the paintings are small replicas of that stage background. It mixes red, the color of blood, power, love and passion, and the most famous monologue in the history of theater: To be or not to be, that is the question, which Hamlet plays in the play by William Shakespeare.
When we go upstairs, the paintings are still dressing the walls of the house. The one you see in the picture is part of my brother’s room. It is a Barcelona Skyline, painted on canvas. And why Barcelona? Well, because it is also our home, and yes, we are very proud to say it: the most beautiful city in the world, which is why we like to keep it in mind at Villa Bella Estança.
What you see is part of the wall in the suite room of the house. Blue sea pictures to bring calm and phrases to connect with what makes us happy. Flowers cannot be missing either, especially considering that my mother is a therapist and constantly works with floral essences, so she knows very well the healing power they have. The two photos that complete this corner are also made by us. This time we are transported to Menorca. The first is a window of Ciutadella and the second, the cliff of Platges de Fornells, where we have spent part of the month of July for many years.
And finally, we show you one of the salt lamps we have in Villa Bella Estança. We love them, not only for the way they look aesthetically pleasing in our home, but also for the good energy they convey. They are space-cleaning elements, and that fascinates us. They are on for 24 hours and can be seen renewing energy at home.
For today, that’s all. We will explain more details about other decoration elements of Villa Bella Estança later. These are the ones that come out the most in our photos, which is why we started here.
Do you like Were you interested in knowing why each item? What would you like to see in the next posts? You can leave it to us in the comments, and we will listen to you! And now that you know more corners of Villa Bella Estança, why not book a few days here, and start enjoying? This family home is ready for you.
Alba Josa Levratto, January 19, 2021.
