I am thrilled to share the heavenly words of wisdom from the very wonderful Brooke Giannetti. I am a huge admirer of Brooke’s talent and the way she has created her idyllically mindful way of life. Brooke's incredible honesty and heart warming way she engages with her community, makes us all feel like we have a special insight into her world. I hope this interview leaves you with a little escapism and inspiration.
Tell us your story and what inspired you to set up your company?
Some people know what they want to “be when they grow up” from an early age. My life journey has been a little windier than that. It wasn’t until I met Steve that I realized I loved to design spaces. I remember the joy of designing our first apartment together…dreaming and creating the first home we would share. As we raised our three children, I dabbled in design, designing our own homes and helping friends with projects. When our youngest child, Leila, started kindergarten, I began to focus on design as a career, helping Steve’s architectural clients with the interiors of their homes. Next thing I knew, I was designing full time.
As time passed, we found ourselves designing gardens and furniture. About 15 years ago, we had the opportunity to move into a studio/retail space, so we opened a shop, Giannetti Home. We filled it with antiques we found while traveling around the US and in Europe. When our son, Charlie, opened a clothing atelier, we began design clothing together and offering the pieces in the shop. All the items we sell are filtered through our design aesthetic that is inspired by our love of natural materials and the beautiful imperfections they develop over time.
What is your proudest accomplishment?
I think the nature inspired life we have created on Patina Farm for our family and animals is my proudest accomplishment Patina Farm has become a place for us to connect with each other, our animals and the earth. It’s a place for healing our minds, bodies and spirits, while also healing the earth through the biodynamic farming practices we implement on the farm.
What do you love most about running your own business?
I love helping our clients design properties that allow them to live the life they imagine in their mind. The properties we create reflect their history and their dreams.
What is your company mission statement?
We Believe:
Happiness can be found in a life centered around the beauty of the natural world.
There is knowledge to be learned from living with animals.
Dreams are the seeds for a happy life.
Big answers can be found in little moments.
Our heart knows more than our head.
Everybody can live beautifully.
We should celebrate the everyday moments in our life and make them more beautiful.
We believe in homes with emotion, power of natural light in a modern sense of space.
We believe in a simple palette of natural materials and the power of antiques to convey history.
We know that classical proportions hold the key to beauty, and a little romance is a good thing.
What sets you and your business apart from competitors?
Providing architectural, interior and landscape design services for our projects allows us to create properties with a clear vision. We don’t see them as three separate entities. All three are seamlessly connected, both visually and emotionally, through our design philosophy. Our own home, Patina Farm, is the perfect example of how this works.
As we explain in our book, Patina Farm, every design decision we make reflects our intention to create calm spaces that are inspired by the natural world around us. The garden, architectural and interiors palettes flow together to support this relaxed ambience.
What advice would you offer budding entrepreneurs?
Figure out your “Why”. Why do you want to create this business? What are your intentions? The answer to these questions will help you design your business and not go after every opportunity that presents itself. Some opportunities will move you forward to achieving your goals. Others are just distractions.
Describe yourself in 3 words
Dreamer, Creator, Mother
What book should we all read?
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer.
Do you have any daily routines?
Yes!
Recently I’ve added 40 minutes of Kundalini yoga to my morning routine.This practice helps me start my day in gratitude.
Then…
Steve and I prepare snacks/breakfast for our animals. Our time with our animals is like a morning meditation. We stand at the top of the stairs that lead to our lower land, and breath for a couple of minutes as we watch the sun rise. We head down to feed our donkeys, cows, chickens and barn cats on the lower part of our land. Then we head back up to feed our goats, sheep and pigs in our upper barn.
After all the animals are fed, we shower, play with puppies and eat breakfast. Steve and I take our four shihtzus on a walk before starting work. We try to take mini breaks during the day to visit our animals. It’s a great way to get away from staring at the computer.
Our animals always put everything into perspective. We end our day by closing all the little animals in our barn and coop for the night and thanking them for sharing our life.
What have you learnt over the last two years?
I’ve learned that the only things I really need in life are the people and animals that I love and who love me back.
What is your favourite possession and why?
My ability to dream and create beauty. Although I am grateful for all the material things that I have, I try to remember that everything is impermanent. Nothing is forever. That is another lesson the last 2 years has made clear.
What are your wardrobe staples?
Our son Charlie, designs and manufactures clothing for our Giannetti Apparel line. I couldn’t live without our linen aprons, raw edge linen pants and our linen tunics in the summer and our lovely cashmere tees in the cooler months.
We recently added a wonderful canvas chore coat with multiple pockets. It pairs well with our linen pieces and our tees and tanks.
Where is your favourite place to travel to?
A few years ago, we started a design project near Nashville, TN. Over the time that we’ve spent there while overseeing the building of the project, we’ve fallen in love with this part of the country. The natural beauty is breath-taking. The people are authentic and friendly. The food is amazing. and the music is world class. Recently, we decided to buy a farm property for ourselves just outside of Nashville. We’ve named our new property Patina Meadow. We’re excited to design our new home, gardens and animal houses and are looking forward to the opportunity to explore this gorgeous part of our country.
What are your Top Tips for entertaining?
Keep things simple so you can enjoy your time with your guests.
Image copyright - Giannetti Home
Follow @velvetandlinen @giannettihome @stevegiannetti to keep in touch with all their latest news
Comments