Our Diary Pages ...
April 2001
Andrew and I met with John once again in Umbria to look at a property recently released on to the market that he felt was ‘just what we were looking for’. A two bedroom end terrace house fully refurbished but with some further development potential. Ideal we thought. However, before viewing the house John took us to see a rundown detached farmhouse ‘Casa Martina’ that was part of a hamlet of 4 houses on a hill that he had literally just heard was for sale. Even though he knew we had said we did not want to take on such a big project, he felt it ticked many of the boxes on our wish list……
How right he was! All those fears of undertaking such a renovation simply vanished. The house already had an abundance of character and was simply crying out for some love and attention. It was complete with lots of outdoor living space, olive trees, beautiful views and planning permission to develop it into a 3 bedroom dwelling. With the help from John and our eagerness to imagine the house in a finished state, within an afternoon, we had talked about creating an ‘upside down’ living space, with a music/tv room downstairs alongside two double bedrooms, each with their own small terraces and two bathrooms. Having an open plan living space upstairs ensured we made the most of the beautiful views, garden and a large terrace accessed through the kitchen. There was even talk of a swimming pool!
We met with John once again at his home before returning to England. Liliana made us very welcome with refreshments. This time we also met Fabio or should I say Omar Sherrif, John’s business partner. The aim was to ensure our ideas could become reality and how much would it all cost? With answers and recommendations of books to read, we left for home.
