Amidst the woods of Valsesia in Piedmont, on the border with Switzerland and immersed in the silence and quiet of the forest, there is a small wooden cabin with a plume of smoke emerging from the chimney. Winter has brought the first cold weather and the air reflects the crisp white snow. Inside, the fireplace is lit, a cup of tea steams gently between the hands and a travel book is open under a warm blanket. It is here in this haven of peace in the mountains that Marta Cappelli and her husband Cristian take refuge whenever they can. It is here that their pet project entitled “In baita e altre storie (In the cabin and other stories)” came to life after returning from a trip to Alaska, where they experienced Nature in its purest and most unspoilt forms and with serious intensity. As Marta puts it “We wanted to create something beautiful that combined our greatest passions, Nature, design and the mountains. In baita e altre storie is a multi-faceted project which includes hospitality, location rental for film shoots, interior styling and a collection of timeless objects inspired by nature and mindfulness.” As such it represents a space for the soul which condenses an entire world within its four walls, the world of the mountains and their magic, energy and calmness, but also their unmistakable beauty, made up of simple gestures, precious small moments, slowness and withdrawal. All this can clearly be seen in the beautiful images that Marta shares on her Instagram profile, a little corner of digital life that smells of grass and pine needles, spicy herbal teas and freshly baked bread. Even in the midst of the frenzy of the city, all you need to do is enter Marta's world for a moment and you are immediately elsewhere, up there with her in the middle of the woods and all its creations.
Marta, tell us about the personal and professional journey that has brought you “in baita”?
My family is originally from the valleys of these mountains and my life has allowed me to spend a large amount of time in many different contexts. I’ve been able to travel a lot and I continue to travel to the farthest corners of the world, driven by curiosity, in search of inspiration and a certain idea of "nature", that particular wilderness evoked in the inspired literature of great writers such as Henry Thoreau and Jack London, two authors whom I got to know through the pages of the books that shaped my character and my propensity and aptitude for exploration. Together with my husband Cristian we explored Asia, North America, Northern Europe and the Scandinavian peninsula for many years, fascinated by the combination of design, nature, culture and tradition. By nature we are free spirits, curious and untamed souls, hungry for knowledge and freedom, but as the saying has it “wings for leaving and roots for returning”, and so we returned and created our project “In baita e altre storie”.
What do the mountains transmit, teach and give you every day?
Mountains teach the value of time and patience.
How do you transform a place that like a cabin which is “spartan” by definition into a warm and welcoming place for living, like the one that emerges from your images?
We work in a way that is permeated by design and over time we have understood the profound value of the word “living”, so much so that it has become a philosophy of life, a new way of experiencing the space that surrounds us. For both of us the inhabited space has become a repository of numerous meanings and signifiers. We have learned to understand the importance of the balance between environment and landscape and we are currently developing a project in which home and nature can “merge” with each other.
What are the “other stories” that the project refers to?
We are starting renovation in order to carry out a hospitality project so that in these wood and stone huts people can experience a genuine immersion in nature as well as carrying out various “other” activities.
The aesthetic component is obviously very important for you, how did you create and develop your personal “mountain” style?
I studied Communication and Interior Styling and for me composition and chromatic harmony are a ritual. I love giving value to the simplest details, I believe that diversity is an asset and that imperfection has value. I try to enhance these narrative elements through photography with a strong evocative connotation linked to elements such as wood and earth.
Your favourite day in the mountains? The season, the atmosphere?
Every season has its beauty, but I must admit that between walks in the woods and snow-covered landscapes, Autumn and Winter have a charm that never ceases to astonish me.
What do you always have in your backpack?
We have learned the art of minimalism from Eastern cultures, so for me, packing a backpack is more the “art of removal”.
