Luxi Bia is the name we have given to this small town, which is called a furriadroxu in Sardinian. Furriai in Sardinian means to return or to come home and, to that point, a furriadroxu was the place that welcomed home all the members of an extended family at the end of their day. Much of the culture in Sardinia is based around shepherding, which is a notoriously solitary activity. So most men would be out all alone with their goats or sheep or cows for at least a full day and sometimes longer. But the furriadroxu was full of action, with kids (from 7-12 in each family), pigs and chickens running around the courtyards and multiple families all crowded into the same kitchen. At the risk of romanticizing what was an arduous existence, the furriadroxu was in most ways self-sufficient. Neighbors worked together to divide labor – one would have pigs while the other had oxen, and each week a different family would take turns baking bread for everyone.
The houses are renovations of modest stone structures and, having been built before the advent of cars, they are placed in a very natural environment with dirt roads and freestanding stone walls. While each apartment is outfitted with everything that is necessary for a comfortable stay (air-conditioning, heating, full kitchens) the true luxury of the property is the silence and darkness of the countryside. The sun and moon rise over the adjacent hillside. The skies are filled with a handful of circling hawks during the day and an abundance of stars at night.
During the renovation of the first buildings, we measured each of the windows and doors in order to maintain their particular, vernacular proportions. The floors were kept at their original levels, as were terracing and old trees. We harvested any possible materials from the ruins, so the juniper wood beams are original and the garden walls are all built from the same stones that were once part of the home’s facade. Where we could, we used local building materials, such as the red terracotta tiles and the river canes for the ceilings.
The valley changes drastically throughout the year – winter is soft and lush; springtime is a tumultuous explosion of colors; summer brings fresh fruits and dry, golden pastures; and autumn is quietly expectant of rains and the return of cool, mild nights.
The property is home to two families – our own and our neighbor, Sestilio – as well as an olive grove, three cats and a plethora of native plants and flowering bushes. We offer a small selection of local natural wines on site, which can be hard to find in neighborhood stores. But more than anything else, we offer you the opportunity to reside in a peaceful atmosphere, surrounded by both the local history and the creative community that has embraced it.