Patina Living: Capturing The Essence of Life on Patina Farm

I wanted so badly to visit Brooke and Steve Giannetti’s Open House at their beautiful Ojai property, Patina Farm, earlier this month. Hosting a book signing for their latest publication, Patina Living, they opened their home and gardens to the public. Sadly, I couldn’t work it into my schedule. But, I recommended the event to a friend who was able to attend and she not only sent me her personal photos from the day but also gifted me the book. I’ve spent the weekend going through it, page by page, enjoying every minute.

I’ve been a fan of the Giannetti’s for years (previous post) and followed along as they shared their plans for designing and building Patina Farm. Their story, from initial inspiration to the finished details, is beautifully transcribed in their previous book, Patina Farm. Readers follow the thought process behind decisions made in relation to site planning, architecture, landscape, surface finishes – really, every little detail. In their new book, Patina Living, they take us on a journey through the day to day activities on the farm, while sharing how homestead living has brought a calm joy to their life.

The gardens are planted with the purpose of beauty, sustainability and to literally bring a bit of the outside in. Flowers are clipped for arrangements, lavender scents the linen closet, and the vegetables and greens from the potager provide a bounty for the kitchen. Chickens, one of several animals on the farm, deliver fresh eggs contributing to their near self-sufficient lifestyle. If you follow Brooke’s Velvet and Linen account on Instagram (you must!), you’ll quickly be introduced to the remainder of the sweet farm animals that have become part of the Giannetti family.

Combined with thoughtful dialog, the pages of Patina Living are filled with beautiful photography by Victoria Pearson who masterfully captures the essence of life on the farm. The book is divided into sections, from the motivation to move away from the city in “Where It All Began” to the contentment of life on the farm in “What We’ve Learned”. Their daily activities fill the chapters in between where the Giannetti’s explain the sense of gratification felt from a homestead lifestyle, caring for animals and tending gardens. As Brooke describes, “It is the living things that bring deeper meaning to our days”.

All photographs by Victoria Pearson from Patina Living by Brooke and Steve Giannetti (Gibbs Smith, 2019)

“It is the living things

that bring deeper meaning to our days.”

Giannetti Home

blog: Velvet and Linen

@velvetandlinen

@giannettihome

books from newest to oldest:

Patina Living

Patina Farm

Patina Style