A beautiful day in Venice touring a Venetian Palace & Garden

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Tamara Matthews-Stephenson is the creative talent behind Nest by Tamara, a captivating journal dedicated to interior design, history and lifestyle inspiration. With a passion for design and a keen eye for aesthetics, she shares her expertise and insights. Tamara has established herself as a prominent figure in the world of interior design and her design philosophy is rooted in the idea that a well-designed home can elevate the quality of life, combining beauty with functional everyday living. Her blog is a testament to her dedication to helping readers achieve this balance. Beyond her writing, She is also an accomplished interior designer who is known for her talent blending diverse styles which has earned her a loyal following and recognition within the interior design industry. She has worked on a wide range of projects- from luxurious urban homes to cozy beach houses. Additionally, she is the Creative Director and Owner of root cellar designs, LLC, an artisan line of textile and wallpaper sold exclusively to the design industry. She designs and manufactures her wares in the United States and sells her line through trade showrooms around the country. Connect with Tamara Matthews Stephenson through email at rootcellardesings@gmail.com and at nestnestnest.blogspot.com for weekly stories, or through her fabric and wallpaper designs at rootcellardesigns.com and embark on a journey to transform your living spaces.

Posted by Tamara Stephenson May 06, 2014

A beautiful day in Venice touring a Venetian Palace & Garden

Sneak peeks behind historic Italian villa doors,

a splendid afternoon

with a Venetian Countess

No, you are not dreaming, and this is not some crazy set design, but an actual home in the very center of the historic city of Venice. As European cities go, Venice is chock-filled with history, not just from the Italians, but from the Turks, the Greeks, all through the middle east and beyond. You'll see it in the unusual architecture around every cobblestone corner. I love that, and we were given a thorough historic tour this particular afternoon, spending an afternoon with a lovely Countess in her splendid home in the heart of Venice, her gardens overlooking the canals. The home seems virtually untouched by new technology and furnishings, with all the finery left in tact beckoning us to the past. We walked through the large mahogany front door (with the crazy detailed knocker) in awe, and you could probably hear a pin drop as our designer jaws were almost on the floor.

Although exquisite, the home is refreshingly in need of repair, which also adds to the charm. There has not been much refurbished, rebuilt, extended nor added or restored. I half expected a butler to turn the corner and invite us to tea in front of the window.

And, speaking of the window, that view inviting guests to peer at the Gondolas in the canal...well, I'm not going to write anymore, I'll simply post these photos. In essence, we stepped back in time to appreciate the wonders of the high life from another era, the way only a few were able to live but others so very much coveted. The gardens rivaled the interior of the home, and it was a treasure trove secret garden of sorts, that one dreams about. Later, our group moved to a German showroom nearby to hear about futuristic-like kitchen storage solutions and how they help make our life more comfortable and compact - how ironic, and I appreciated both polar view points.

I'm crazy for these close up views of the wonderfully, handcrafted items throughout the home, from textiles to silver, glass, carved wood and other beautiful wares!