Ravenna Ritorno

Ritorno: Italian for the return.

Every summer, we come back to Ravenna, the city of mosaics. Our home sits in its historic centre, and the courtyard won my heart: a plum tree casting shade, birds coming and going.

A 2000s remodel had stripped the house of its soul, so we kept only the outer walls and roof and began again. Two bedrooms became three, one bath became two, and every centimetre found a purpose, down to hidden storage behind a stair partition shaped by our craftspeople. Warm wood keeps it modern and soft.

My office holds the pieces I gather from Italian vintage markets, our travels and African craft, a collection that grows with every return. Outside, a little soaking pool and a fountain that never stops singing.

When we're away, we share it with guests, so they can feel it too.