INTENTIONAL LIVING - WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO

Ten years ago, we were living in Santa Monica, surrounded by the city sounds of traffic, garbage trucks, and commotion. I’d started gardening and caring for chickens, but Steve and I were craving a deeper connection to the natural world.

Our Santa Monica kitchen garden.

We began our search for a new home and discovered the land that has since become Patina Farm. When we happened upon the ancient oak trees looming over the property, we knew we were home. (And we never would have found it if it weren’t for a man and his mini-horse walking along the road. Read more of this story in our book, Patina Farm .)

The ancient oak that welcomed us home.

And then, the design process began.

Steve's drawings of Patina Farm.

Patina Farm embodies why Steve and I do what we do — which is so much more than designing homes. Just as we did for ourselves, we love helping other people live their dreams, share their stories, and honor their history through natural beauty and design.

At the start of a project, the first thing we discuss is the FEEL we (or our clients) want from the space and land. And it always incorporates a blurring of the outside and inside worlds.

Steve and I love taking long walks together and this is usually when we talk about these ideas and dreams. We discuss what we want out of our lives, our home, and our space — and then we create it.

Just as those oak trees showed us the way ten years ago, I continue to draw on the ancient wisdom of Mother Nature to guide me in my life. It’s rooted in all that we do in our lives and work.

The view out our kitchen windows at Patina Farm. Recognize the tree?

Here at Patina Farm, we’ve literally lived and designed our dream from the ground up — and we’ll continue the process at Patina Meadow.

Because really, once we actualize a dream, should we just toss up our hands and say, “Okay — that’s it! I’m done now!”? 😆 No — we keep growing, changing, and dreaming. And that’s healthy, as long as we stay present to enjoy the moment we’re living right now.

One of Steve's preliminary drawings of our new home at Patina Meadow.

This style of intentional living has become incredibly important to us as we get older. We want to feel connected to nature, our family, animals, and our community. We wouldn’t be where we are now without all that has come before, so incorporating our history is essential to anything we create.

I continue to listen to the natural signs around me to understand what comes next, which is where Patina Meadow and Leipers Fork come into our story.

Our home site at Patina Meadow. I look forward to sharing more of our property with you as it evolves.

With the big move to Tennessee coming up, we‘re now craving a deeper sense of community just as we were longing for more nature through Patina Farm. We’ve been dreaming up a few more big changes for Giannetti Home and though we aren’t ready to announce the details yet, you can sign up for Letters From Brooke to be the first to hear our upcoming news.

Thanks for being a part of this community and allowing us to live intentionally together!

xo

Brooke