"My" Home in Italy

Signore/Mr. B is chairman and owner of a steel conglomerate with factories in three towns in Italia and a factory in Brazil. They supply steel to Fiat. Signore B seems to be a friendly, down-to-earth type guy.
Signora/Mrs. B works in the company office and may actually be the brains behind the operation. She seems to be an uptight micro-manager, but is a stunning blonde.

The house is filled with what looks like antique furniture. The doors and windows can be covered for security by metal "fencing" that unfolds across the door like we see at liquor stores in the U.S. The windows have thick wood-slat blinds that roll down to cover them on the outside. They seem to roll these blinds down to block the sun as well. There is hot-water radiator heating.

The guest room where I am staying has twin beds with pillow rolls at the head rather than regular pillows. The regular pillows are stored in a closet. There is an antique chest of drawers. The bathroom is modern with a shower stall and a bidet in addition to the toilet.

Also down on the lower level next to the guest room is a recreation room that is huge. It has one long and two round tables where 20-30 people could dine! A round open fireplace sits one-third of the way down the length of the room. In the one-third section are elegant couches lining three sides. Another portion of the room off to one side has a stereo and TV. Through a window in one wall you can pass food from a second kitchen. There is also a dumbwaiter from the kitchen above.

The lower level also has a wine cellar, laundry room with a washing machine and utility tub, the palestra/therapy room, and a set of rooms (three rooms and a complete bath) now used for storage. Plus a one-car garage.

The ground level has the main kitchen (all the modern conveniences including two refrigerators, a freezer, and a dishwasher; not fully utilized), a dining room, a huge living room with a fireplace (with three different living room sets!), a bathroom, and a storage room.

One third of the living room

Down a hall are the family living quarters; a huge master suite with bedroom, lavatory and complete bath, wardrobe room, and an elegant blue velvet sitting room used as the music room. Elena is learning to play the piano, Artu (Arturo) the drums and Albi (Alberto) the saxophone. The children's area has one bedroom where all three children sleep, a playroom, a complete bath plus shower stall, and a study with a large closet for toy storage. There is another bedroom and complete bath used by the live-in maid, Patrizia.

The grounds include a swimming pool, a clay tennis court, a tiny gardener's cottage next to a garden and tiny orchard, and a kennel full of guard dogs (at least six German shepherds).