When Karin Lijftogt and Antonio Giorgini moved in Tuscany and bought the 18th-century villa Fattoria San Martino, just 800 meters form the town and 1 hours drive from Florence, they had in mind a life of natural beauty and rural bliss. The couple had been working in the fashion industry in Milan throughout the ‘80s (Karin in design, Antonio in finance), and while they loved the place, it was starting to take its toll. I had my own collection – life was good and it could go on forever”, recalls Karin. “ A life around fashion and trends, a hectic life indeed, yet we loved Milan and its atmosphere. But there where disadvantages.” Among them was the fact that she was spending more time “driving around on the autostrada than at home”. Then Antonio’s mother died an event that became a turning point in their life. “ We both wanted to bring rest and quality into our lives and go back to basic, to a simple country life,” explains Dutch-borne Karin. So began a new era for the couple and their two sons Flores and Miran. After have been running a farmhouse and B&B in Chianti, they finally discovered such perfection on a hill outside the walled town of Montepulciano.

The pale-yellow three-storey main house was restored using natural materials and finishes, such as lime, wood, stone and beeswax. The family lives on the ground floor, while four large guestrooms, all decorated by Karin, occupy the upper floors. In the guesthouse, breakfast is served with organic products sourced or farmed locally - the five-hectare farm counts olive oil, fresh vegetables and fruits among its produce. Decor is a blend of handmade wooden pieces, local antiques and collectables and reinvented pieces – Karin gives items a new lease of life, creating cushions out of old Dutch mailbags and turning scraps linen into bedspreads or lampshades. Words by March Heldens from "Under tuscan skies" in the home magazine "inside out. Inspiring homes with heart". sept/oct 2008.

The location allow a 360-degree view of the Tuscan countryside and the Town. Outside, the sprawling property features stables a large olive orchard, an organic vegetable and herb garden, and a biolago ( a naturally filtrated pool for swimming) where guests can cool off in the hotter months.What Karin and Antonio likes about San Martino is living in the countryside with a breathtaking view and in the same time the property is ten minutes walking distance from Montepulciano. Words by March Heldens from "Under tuscan skies" in the home magazine "inside out. Inspiring homes with heart". sept/oct 2008.