Situated on a hilltop in the wild woods of Tuscany, Villa Lena is a place where untouched nature, carefree creativity and magical stories intersect. With 500 hectares of land, mostly covered by untouched forests, an abundance of wild flowers, herbs and roaming deer, Villa Lena is a unique place where hospitality is merged with creativity and nature. Collaboration underscore life at Villa Lena, exemplifying a new way of living and holiday experience.
Originally called San Michele, the estate has an ancient history stretching from the prehistoric, when this land lay under a sea leaving traces of fossilised shells scattered all over the site, to medieval times and the Renaissance, culminating in the construction of the terracotta hued 19th century Villa where the women of the household are immortalised on its ceilings.
The iconography of the estate is as complex as its history, and The Rituals of Villa Lena are products and rituals inspired by the mystical history and wild nature that surrounds it, and the tradition of culture that precedes them and is currently fostered on site
The concept
A ritual is a sequence of activities involving gestures, words, actions, or objects, performed according to a set sequence.
The Rituals of Villa Lena are a range of curated objects and products designed to bring the experience of Villa Lena into your home. They are inspired by the two key pillars of Villa Lena: nature and culture. These values are bound together and experienced through hospitality and creativity, connecting you to a rich and inspiring community.
The Rituals connect you with your inner creativity, bringing you closer to culture and nature in a shared experience with likeminded people. They are inspired by the community of people that pass through the estate as well as some of Villa Lena’s mythical creatures of the wilderness – a wise owl, an ancient dragon and a magical unicorn.
The Rituals connect the past with the present and explore our fascination with old and new, traditional craftsmanship and contemporary ideas.
Channelling the energy of Villa Lena’s surroundings, The Rituals are an embodiment of Villa Lena and they capture the experience of the estate in your own home, unleashing your carefree spirit, lifting your mood and bringing joy to your soul.
The collaborators
Villa Lena has the unique resource of an incredible pool of talent like no one else. Potential collaborators include local artisans as well as international artists from the Villa Lena Foundation’s residency programme. This combination of local craftsmanship and international style enables us to produce unique products which are high quality, luxury items created by leaders in their fields.
The Rituals
The product range will feature a mix of everyday basics, our flagship products, as well as limited edition ranges at higher price points. A new limited edition product would be offered quarterly and remain available until it sells out.
Every product, rooted in Villa Lena’s key values, will be connected to an individual’s creative & professional practice from the community who will offer their inspiration behind the object or instructions for how to experience the ritual at home. For example, Alfredo our wine expert may talk about the production of the grapes and how best to enjoy the wine, or Emily Ponsonby (artist-in-residence 2021) might discuss why the painting kit’s colour palette is perfect for the Tuscan landscape and how to best use the Zecchi paints.
*Asterisks denote flagship products which can be re-imagined with new designers and artists & produced on mass scale.
Villa Lena agricultural products*
• Tutti I Giorni
• Da Occasione
• White Wine (in development)
• Sparkling Rosé
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Honey
Other food and drink products
• Martelli Dried Pasta
• Cocktail kits with NIO
• Fermentation kits with Inês Neto dos Santos (artist-in-residence 2019 and 2021)
• Recipe kits with instructions from previous chefs in residence (Marcella Ogrodnik, Kristopher Edelen, Katzie Guy-Hamilton, Kyle Pierce, Paige Woodie) and key ingredients e.g. truffle pasta and wine, pesto pasta with sparkling rosé, cecina with Villa Lena spritz
Handmade Dinner Plates
• Made in collaboration with Matteo, a local ceramicist from Montelupo
• Set of 4 plates featuring mythical creatures – a unicorn, a dragon, an owl – and the Villa Lena heart
€120-160 for a set of 4
Table linen*
• Made in collaboration with Nadine Goepfert (Artist-in-residence 2018 and 2021)
• Tablecloth and napkins designed during her residency, inspired by the landscape and interiors of Villa Lena
Napkins €40 for a set of 2, large tablecloth €250
Cocktail Picks
• Solid silver olive picks designed by Emma Montague (Artist-in-residence 2016)
• Cocktail picks inspired by the olive groves surrounding Villa Lena and dining rituals and shared meals
Edition of 100, €150 for a set of 3
Other ideas
• Allday knives, made with plastic waste from Villa Lena, €250
• Vases
• Leather charger plates, Lorenzo in Florence
• Coasters, Lorenzo in Florence
• Napkin rings, Lorenzo in Florence
Ritual boxes
• Morning ritual (moka pot, coffee from our Livorno supplier, breakfast bun recipe from pastry chef Patrizia)
• Aperitivo ritual (cocktails, taralli, olive picks)
• Focaccia ritual (apron, wine, focaccia recipe from Sasha Grumman, chef in residence 2021)
Painting kit
Set of paint brushes and paper from Zecchi
Stationery
• Writing paper and notebooks from Papiro*
• Journal designed with Leigh Patterson (artist-in-residence 2018)
• Postcard sets with designs by previous artists-in-residence*
• Ritual Pencils, €15 for a set of 4
Artwork
• Limited edition etchings made in collaboration with Florentine printmakers Il Bisonte, edition of 30 + 5APs, €300–€1,200
• Limited edition posters, edition of 100, €50*
Culture Workshop Rituals
• The workshop rituals are about teaching you how to use the materials readily available around you to connect with your creativity and explore your surroundings through a different lense. The ritual will teach you skills that you can continue to use long after the materials within the box are used up!
• All Workshop Rituals come with instructions from the artist, some key materials and equipment, a list of any additional required materials (easy to find around the home or in nature), a small product made by the artist and the option to add on a bottle of Villa Lena sparkling rosé
• ‘Zero-waste tie-dye t-shirt with Chiara Leto’ (artist-in-residence 2020 and 2021), use natural dyes foraged from your immediate surroundings or kitchen food waste to tie-dye your own t-shirt, includes a naturally dyed napkin designed by Chiara
• ‘Botanical correspondance with Evalie Wagner’ (artist-in-residence 2021), capture a floral composition using the cyanotype technique to create a set of postcards and a greeting card for someone special, includes a botanical poster designed by Evalie
• ‘Pattern portraits with Lauren Godfrey’ (artist-in-residence 2019), create a pattern inspired by your favourite fabrics and household items using a range of materials selected by Lauren and anything else that inspires you using a viewfinder frame to create the composition, includes a silk scarf designed by Lauren
Pot Pourri
• A bespoke Villa Lena scent made in collaboration with product and olfactory designer Patrick Palcic (artist in residence 2018)
• 100g pouches
€20
Scented Candles*
• A bespoke Villa Lena scent made in collaboration with product and olfactory designer Patrick Palcic (artist in residence 2018)
• Hand poured candles made by local producer Graziani, Tuscan wax chandlers since 1805
• The containers are handmade by local ceramicist Matteo
• 200g, 50 hours burning time, with gift box
€60
Nightwear
• Loretta Caponi nightdress, designed by the brand exclusively for Villa Lena
€800
• Desmond and Dempsey pyjama sets designed by the brand during a mini residency at Villa Lena
€190
Magic T-shirts*
Featuring unicorns, dragons and owls, designed by previous artists-in-residence
Magic necklaces*
Charm necklaces designed by Sophie Buhai (year tbc) featuring unicorns, dragons and owls
Yoga mat
• Lightweight yoga mat made with TPE, a recyclable and ecologically friendly synthetic rubber made with no toxic chemical additives, made by reyoga
• Green and orange with the Villa Lena logo
€60
Ceremonial workshop rituals
• Meditation ritual (yoga mat, candle, smudge stick, meditation instructions from a previous Yogi-in-residence)
• Cacao Ceremony ritual (yoga mat, candle, cacao, ceremony instructions from a previous Yogi-in-residence)
Other ideas
• Drinking bowls
• Incense
• Scented Oil
• Crystals
• Smudge Sticks
• Thinking object
Sun Hats
Made by Borsalino
Swimwear
Bespoke swimsuit designed by Talia Collins made with 100% recycled nylon
Pool Towels*
• Super soft, 100% organic towels made in collaboration with Tekla
• Featuring the mythical creatures: a unicorn, a dragon and an owl
€100
Beach Bag
Von Sono leather bag
€300
Aprons*
Recycled linen aprons made by Terra di Tutti, a local social enterprise business, featuring a wild board design by Bratislav Milenkovic (artist in residence 2018)
Nature Workshop Rituals
• The workshop rituals are about connecting with your surroundings in new ways. The ritual will teach you skills that you can continue to use long after the materials within the box are used up!
• All Workshop Rituals come with instructions from the artist, some key materials and equipment, a list of any additional required materials (easy to find around the home or in nature), a small product made by the artist and the option to add on a bottle of Villa Lena sparkling rosé
• ‘Seed exchange with BLAD’ (artists-in-residence 2019), receive a pouch of Villa Lena seeds from Villa Lena Head Gardener Gigi in a pouch designed by BLAD along with an empty pouch and instructions for how to collect your own seeds from your local environment to then pass on to a friend, a flat pack cork plant pot will be included to plant a piece of Villa Lena at home, includes a gift TBC
•‘Flower pounding workshop with Nadine Goepfert’ (artist-in-residence, 2018 and 2021), learn how to make beautiful botanical patterns by pounding plants into fabric and create a beautiful set of napkins, includes a gift TBC
Other ideas
• Villa Lena Worm Fertiliser
• Leather bottle holder
• Ice bucket
