The Apartment
Many of you have asked to see pictures of our renovation project in Italy. I’ve been a bit protective of the whole thing because it’s not just an apartment, it’s the spark in my heart right now, and in so many ways this process has felt too good to be true. I’m a knocking-on-wood, finger crossing, breath holding, salt tossing, nut-job anyway and this good fortune has made me downright neurotic with joy, fear and superstition. But mostly with gratitude. The time I spend in this little town, and exploring the coast and terraced hills all around, is becoming a bigger and more integral part of my real life (isn’t that amazing?!) and who I am. It’s time that I share a bit more with my people, at least the ones who haven’t already heard me yammer on about it endlessly.
I realize my enthusiasm puts me at risk of sounding overly precious and “Under The Tuscan Sun”. I’m one of an endless string of American women who’ve fallen in love with the Italian countryside, in no way unique in my passion. Though my time in Italy over the last few years could definitely be made into a cheesy movie with just a few edits to reality (“Let’s add a vineyard scene and delete the scene where you spend an hour paying your water bill at the post office.” ” What about a curmudgeonly old farmer with a heart of gold?” “Those loud guys on dirt bikes have got to go, but we could bring in a prodigal son returning from the big city on his Ducati…”), it has still been transformative for me, and for my family too. We’ve been scooped up by a cast of characters whose acceptance and generosity has been humbling in the best way. I’ve spent so long living in the same place that it’s hard to know who I am outside of other people’s expectations. My friends know my parents, or my kids, or my husband’s boss from 20 years ago. People at the grocery store remember what I was like as a second grader or a new mom or when I worked at such and such restaurant. There is precious history there – the kind that comes from comfortable, established friendships and it is something I will always cherish, but there is also a lot of pressure. New to me is meeting people from all different countries and backgrounds and being welcomed into their community purely on who I am now. It’s validating and freeing in a way I never expected.
I’m freshly home from a quick trip to take care of some business* over in Italy which was invigorating as always. I was talking with my daughter on the phone one evening while I was there, telling her about everything I’d done that day and I walked by the mirror in my bedroom and caught my own eye. I told her, ‘When I look in the mirror at home I see a chubby, middle-aged lady. When I look in the mirror here I see a chubby, middle-aged lady who’s happy.‘ The wrinkles and gray hair are still there and the excess “fluff” around my middle, but the difference is that I don’t care as much. My smile lines are deeper, my eyes are sparklier, and yes, yes I did have pasta for lunch again.
Everything about this project has felt like a YES from the very beginning. It was possible because of the generosity, hard work and connections of people who were strangers at the beginning, and stuck their necks out for me anyway (I’m looking at you A and M). I’ve found honest, talented craftspeople, friends I can count on and a support system that has made it possible to make it all work from afar. Magic? Divine intervention? Fate? I don’t know, but it feels like more than dumb luck has been guiding me here. My husband’s trust in my ability and my band of cheering friends at home gave me the confidence to take the leap, but the landing has been a soft one.
When I bought this place it was pretty much a wreck. Not a “ruin” as some properties in Italy are categorized, but it needed some serious fixing up. It was also full of furniture and garbage as you will see below. The before pictures are a bit hard to even understand because of the amount of junk that was filling the main room but it will give you an idea of what it looked like on first viewing.
Entry and living room before:
Entry and living room after:
Kitchen before:
Kitchen after:
Bathroom before and after:
Kid’s Bedroom before and after:
Primary bedroom before:
Primary bedroom after:
Dining room before:
Dining room after:
If you or anyone you know is interested in renting or wants more information you can contact me at ivymwhite@gmail.com.
The basics:
-Located in the the town of Pieve di Teco in Liguria, Italy. The town is a small Medieval village with a history as a trading destination between the Italian riviera and the mountains of Piedmont. The main street is lined with porticos that date back to the early 1200’s. It’s a one and half hour drive from both the Nice (France) and Genoa airports. 20 minutes from the coastal beaches. The apartment is located on the main town square, attached to the clock tower, on the second floor of a historic building.
-Two bedrooms, one with a queen sized bed and the other with two twins, all with high quality linens and comfy mattresses.
-One small but beautiful bathroom with a shower and teeny-tiny bathtub.
-Newly renovated and fully stocked kitchen. High quality cookware, dishes and linens. All pantry staples and cooking basics provided as well as a few goodies.
-Living room with a leather sofa, antique Persian carpets, and pellet stove and original artwork.
-Two balconies. A small one on the front of the building for watching over the cafes below, and a larger one on the back that we use for hanging out laundry and getting out of the sun on a hot day.
-The rates will be dependent on the time of year and the length of stay, but I plan to charge in the neighborhood of $100-125/night.
*The business I was attending to has to do with another vacation rental, but it is in the baby stages of development and I will share more about it as it progresses. I’m trying to invent a job for myself that will require me to spend more time in Italy for my work and my life in the future. It’s all a big leap of faith and very exciting. More to come…
Ivy, this is sooo inspirational! Thank you for sharing! It’s just beautiful!
All the best,
Leigh Calvez
So nice to hear from you Leigh! Thank you for your kind words. I’ve been thinking about you as our girls approach graduation. Hope you and Ellie are both doing well. XO
Ivy, thank you for sharing the beautiful reality of this. You are making me think I might be able to pursue a big dream of my own.
Rebecca, you can and you will. Let me know when and how I can cheer you on. Our big dreams need pursuing.
Im really happy for you.❤️ It’s beautiful. I hope you feel so proud of yourself…you did it. You’re doing it. You’re so brave and bold.. You go girl. There’s nothing like going after the life of your dreams. I can’t wait to book a trip. ❤️❤️
Thank you for being such an enthusiastic supporter Trina. I hope we get to see you in France or Italy next summer. That would be amazing.
You’ve done a great job Ivy! So impressive during a pandemic and living so many miles away! Dave and I will love to be guests sometime. We’ll be in Chamonix this fall which looks like just a 4.5 hour drive from your town but I didn’t plan extra time for a side trip, had I known…. Hopefully another time! You have great talent and how wonderful it is that you found this work that you enjoy!! We have friends and neighbors that have been expats in Italy, it took them 9 and 25 years respectively to move back! I’ve only been to Italy once but can see how special it is!
Thanks Betsy! I would love to have you and Dave visit us there. There’s so much great hiking and eating to be done. Excited for your trip in the fall!
So awesome Ivy! I was in Italy to visit another BI person a few years ago (Anne Pell is Morsasco) and fell in love with the amazing country! I can hardly wait to go back, but feel I need to learn some Italian to really appreciate the place and the people. Cool to read about what you are up to!
Well, my Italian is coming along verrrry slowly. Don’t let it hold you back, Google Translate can work wonders. Great to hear from you!
Dear Ivy, you write so well what I’ve lived myself. Thank you for your honest testimony and your smart, beautiful look on life. It is true that a new life begins in that magical region. We’ll see each other there 😉
You and your sweet family have been part of the magic for us. I can’t wait to spend more time together – soon I hope! XO
So we’ll described. The town is wonderful. The place looks great. Ce ann and I can’t wait to get there in September.
H.
You two will cause a stir in Pieve Howard, no doubt about it. Can’t wait to have you there!
Damn Ivy! This is downright dreamy! I’ve been to the obvious places in Italy – Rome, Amalfi Coast one trip. Two weeks in Florence, cancelled Sicily due to Covid. Hopefully heading to Milan and Venice at the end of June and Sicily at Christmas. Fingers crossed for both of these trips. But I love the idea of a little town – what a way to experience Italy! And you are nearby so many wonderful places! I am too nervous to drive in Europe but never find that a problem. A 1h45min train to Imperia from Nice or Genova and a 35 minute bus ride from Imperia can get me to Pieve di Teco. I can also catch a train all the way from Milan that takes four hours. The cool thing about Milan is I can fly Condor – a budget airline (if you can consider any flight a budget right now) and one of its hubs is Seattle and Milan! Holla! So this all sounds just wonderful! My daughter and I want to go next year. The weather looks pretty great year round but maybe Spring? Two weeks? I am taking a year off preschool to dig in deeper to my college classes and my writing starting in fall. So I have to ask a dumb question. Any internet? I would be teaching online classes and might need to Zoom a couple of times a week but I could work around this. I apologize for going on and on in this forum – don’t mean to be rude. I want to visit your absolutely charming flat every year until I am too feeble to travel! Your pricing is out of this world reasonable and I will leave the place spit-spot clean! Can I share this with my sister Karen? A number of her teacher friends travel very summer together. Wowsie Ivy!
Kathryn, yay! I would LOVE to have you stay at my place. I’m glad you’re taking a year off preschool and will be able to travel a bit. I know you and Karen both love Italy so yes, please share with her. Share far and wide with whoever you want, I’m trying to get a bit established there and this is the first step. There is Wifi at the apartment, it’s fairly basic but has worked well so far. I’m hoping to get fiber installed at some point in the near future and that would do everything you need and more. Any time of year is good for a visit, thought it can get chilly at night in the winter. I was there in February and it was gorgeous (Felix and Robert even swam in the sea). Spring is a great time to go. If you want to get brave and try driving it’s really not as bad as you’d think. You could rent a car in Imperia just for driving around the little towns.
Felix and I are going in June for 5 weeks and Wendy and Hayden are coming with us for 9 days. A moms and boys adventure!
When you think you know when you want to come and stay let me know, I’ll get you on the calendar! You’ve got my number so text me with any questions.
Ivy!
What a fantastic role model you are for your daughter. To show her how to make a dream a reality is such a gift. I am going to visit Gus in Scotland this year, but maybe next year attach a trip to Italy???
I have so much respect for what you have done because I am renovating an apartment on Whidbey Island and it is so hard!
I LOVE the exposed brick/stonework!!!!!
I’m so glad you’re going to visit Gus – have a great time and tell him hello from me! It’s quick and inexpensive to fly to Nice from anywhere in the UK and you are always welcome at our place so definitely think about a jaunt to Italy next time.
Renovation is definitely challenging. Luckily I had great people who know all about these old buildings and they did beautiful work. I’d love to see pictures of your place on Whidbey sometime.
Reciprocal feeling 😉 We’ll all be there this summer in August! Looking forward too. Love to you all
I hope it works out to see you. Felix and I are coming in late June and staying through July. Robert will join us for a couple of weeks in the second half of July.
I hope we’ll have at least one day on the spot to see each other. Collin won’t be there before August. As for me, I think I’ll arrive on the 30th or so…
Hello Ivy,
Thank you so very much for sending me your email. It’s nice to finally meet you. Your apartment looks and sounds amazing, I think it’s safe to say that we would love to visit and stay at your beautiful home in Italy.
We would love to have you come and stay Dave! Reach out anytime. It sounds like your remodel has turned out beautifully!
Ivy,
You are one of the smartest and funniest women I have ever known. This makes me so happy. Your incredibly good taste and love of life shines through in this remodel. I’m so inspired by your confidence and vision for your life. Thank you for sharing this with all of us. I can’t wait to have a glass of wine with you there one day in the near future.
Yes! It would be such a blast to have you visit. Thanks for the vote of confidence. XO
How exciting! You’re doing what most people fear to do – leave one’s safety net for a chance to enrich your lives even further. You are both amazing and I hope to visit your slice of heaven soon. I am going to Portugal in September but am looking for a place to go with my son next year. Maybe Italy will be the one!
Thanks for sharing your story.
Thanks for reading Helen! Portugal is a place I hope to visit sooner rather than later. I’d love to talk to you about it when you get home. And of course we would love it if you and your son visited our place in Italy!