Exclusive interview with Louise Ferragamo – Part 1
We’re thrilled to publish our exclusive interview with Louise Ferragamo, where she describes her Italian homes, talks about what inspires her interior choices, and how being a part of one of the biggest Italian fashion families has influenced her interior outlook. In part one, Louise describes each of her three family homes.
Latch: How would you describe your interiors, Louise?
“In general, my style is feminine and elegant. I love balance, symmetry and soft tones. You will never find any strong colours, or a wild mix of patterns in my homes. We have three different homes. As the houses are very different, it came naturally to me to choose very different styles of interior. Each property reflects history and character through architecture.
Casa Al Coltro
“Our country home, “Casa Al Coltro” is a typical Tuscan Leopoldina. It’s a square stone farmhouse with small windows, an arch and a tower in the centre. We’ve just finished restoring it, but sadly, due to the conditions of the walls, we were not able to keep the original stone.
“I decorated the house in what I call a rustic-chic, cosy and informal style. I looked for timeless materials furniture with a story behind it. Nothing is white except my pantry – I chose tones of greys, browns, dusky greens, blues, terracotta, uneven wood and raw stone. I was lucky to find an amazing floor in recycled oak which I mixed with a light, polished stone floor for the wet rooms. Our hardware is old brass or brushed silver. Every room has a crystal chandelier, I bought every second-hand applique and chandelier I could find and restored them myself! To bring in some classic elegance.
“My priority was to make the house comfortable. I tried my best to choose practical solutions, and make sure the house is welcoming for dogs and dirty boots!
Cortiletto
“Our main home, “Cortiletto”, is originally the old stable building of a historic medieval villa located on the hillside of Florence. It has been my husband’s family home for generations. Since we moved in I have not wanted to change anything significant. The interior division of the rooms is not ideal for today’s modern lifestyle, but we have tried to make it a more personal space by retouching the rooms.
“I kept the classic elegant and precious materials such as the Carrara marble, the shiny parquet floors, and some of the polished dark antique furniture. I added black and white elements, Venetian plaster on the walls, and materials in velvets and taffeta in classic grey and aubergine tones. Finally, I added silver accessories and tonnes of mirrors!
Seaside house
“Our seaside house is a typically 1950s Maremma style house which we practically built from scratch. Most of the space is outside as we only use it in the summer. It’s located on the flatland where the breeze is a significant pleasure with the view of the small hilltop towns. It has a small olive grove, a lot of green land around and a huge swimming pool. A small paradise for me, when I’m too lazy to go to the beach!
This house is probably the home that reminds me most of the summer, and growing up with a mix of Scandinavian vintage, French Provence and ethnic furniture. The house has light terracotta floors, soft neutral tones in white and light blues, beiges, washed wood, raw linens and shabby chic rugs – plus rattan and baskets everywhere. Everything is light and natural, and based on outdoor living. Most of the furniture is bought from flea markets and has been reupholstered or painted, while some Ikea and Maison du Monde furniture has completed the furnishing in the smaller spaces.”
Head over to part two of our exclusive Louise Ferragamo interview to read more about what inspires her interiors.