Michelle Dresing had long dreamed of moving to the countryside where she could collect the herbs for her natural skin care business. When she and her partner Marta found a neglected house barn in the foothills of the Biellese Alps, they began a 3-year odyssey to turn it into their dream home and the production facilities for their handmade soap and aromatherapy business Eukalia.
They bought the home for “nothing” and invested mostly their own labor in doing everything themselves. When they didn’t know how to do something, they asked for help from friends in the industry and borrowed all needed power tools. The home had been abandoned by its owners for over a decade who had once let their animals – geese and goats – roam through the first floor, so the space needed a lot of work. The women let out stress knocking down walls and peeling plaster, in the process uncovering intricate vaulted ceilings and tiles dated 1060.
The home sits at the edge of a village and has its own field and forest that the women have chosen not to mow so Michele can collect her herbs from the front yard (from dandelions to calendula), which she distills into essential oils in an artisanal distillery in the backyard. “I always dreamed of a home that would work for me.”
They created living space in a now mostly open upstairs. Downstairs is dedicated to the business with a laboratory for soap and cream making and a production room where the product is prepped (with packaging and labels they designed). The women gave us a tour of their home, the lab, and the building they bought next door that was once the more noble building that still has intact 300-year-old chestnut flooring and ceilings. They hope to expand their space to include space for visitors and a wellness retreat.
On *faircompanies:
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Bullsblood comes to mind when seeing those old brown colors, the blood is dried and added to lime paste to "paint".
In the Netherlands this was traditionally used with a kind of turpentine paste to paint beams etc.
I can imagine their golf course neighbours hate their weedy meadow
You guys find the most interesting places. That brick ceiling was incredible. And all that chestnut wood. You just dont see that here in Maryland US. Beautiful and thanks for traveling and filming. Missed your kids….They are so cute.
Wow, magnifica!
Hermoso lugar y genial la reutilización de diversos elementos. Muy interesante el emprendimiento…! Gracias…me encanto! Gracias!!!
Che bel recupero! Fantastiche ragazze!
That was truly interesting – so wonderful to watch! Those are definitely two hard-working young women, there! They had a dream, and through extensive hard work, perseverance, and I'm sure a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, they made it come true. I wish them well in all of their future endeavors. 🙂
1060? What?@ Evn that tree in the middle imperfectly thought out.
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Amazing video! Thank you for taking us all along for this story.
We could do with out the homeowners.
i love this–admire your energy and to have this natural skin care business is so wonderful—great to meet you both–i just ordered one of your your shampoo bars—-love your earthy lifestyle—-deatra
What a beautiful, inspirational restoration. Their hard work and dedication are very impressive. I subscribed and I want to become a customer. TY for this video!
OMG, they smashed the floortiles!!
love it that they paid nothing for the house and knew nothing about construction and redid a complete floor with huge structure beams. great spirit. yes, I would buy anything they make.
When tackling a project of this magnitude, ignorance is bliss.
Had they known the amount of work required, they probably would not have undertaken the project.
Now, I am sure they would not hesitate to do it all over.
These 2 ladies did an amazing job and should be very proud of their accomplishment.
Absolutely wonderful!
Love what the two women have accomplished there so far, such really takes hard work and determination, its a beautiful place and already possessing the foundations of a natural meadow and associated plants and herbs to enable their business idea. Also superb that women as these can move in and revitalise and restore part of abandoned villages. Absolutely well done. 🙂
Is there a link to their products as I,m very interested in natural medicines for my use??
Amazing… living the dream…
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Interesting beings and beautiful home and lab. 💕
NICE… HAVE A NICE DAY 🙏🙏🙏
Wonderful wonderful! Love the herbal lab, soaps etc. Their hard work has really made it so lovely. My oh My💜
Loved how you both saved the old and gave it new life, you have made it all so beautiful. Thank you for letting me see into your home.
I'd love to hear the conversations in the party/bbq…
Beautiful people, house and home-grown business, giant win, win, win. Living close to nature and preserving ancient architecture. They deserve to thrive, they have so much to assure a beautiful life.
Is that bbq plate made from stone? I have never seen that before … can anyone explain it to me?
Beautiful house … a triumphant testament to hard work
Kristen has the best job in the world. Thanks so much for sharing all these with us. Sometimes the world seems so dark, but then there are people like this out there and so many others. It really gives me hope for the future.
So much work, but so worth it. They did a really great job. There is so much satisfaction in doing this type of restoring. Great work.
Awesome, in so many ways…
And every tour you film, seems like the best yet! Thank you very much…👍😎🇨🇦⚘🎖
Absolute perfect place for sure. Nice job done by these two womens! But have to thank Kirsten and her husband for all the job done too! I'm just wondering how do you find all these peoples and places? Never been disapointed by one of your vids! Aplauses again!
Brava
Wowww it's amazing. Thanks for sharing.
ama taaktaa
Marna taaktaa,marna tabartaaanna itaalkeey
30 e lode, ragazze, niente da dire. Bra-vi-ssi-me!!!
Great property! I hope you return in several years so we can see the renovation of the main house. I also hope they make some formal flower gardens in that yard to boost their cream and soap business. I was thinking they could also make some extra money from Airbnb. Like she said, nice and quiet, that's what many people want.
What a treat to live in such beautiful surroundings. 🌺
20:18 she says what’s sounds like “golf” what is this in English I’m curious to use for my garden or if I have it already
Que maravilla 👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿🌈❤
Weeds are only plants people don’t understand. Super video.
There once was a "yellow brick road", now there is a "red brick ceiling". WON-DER-FUL!
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At film time 10:11..the word you are grasping for is 'adobe'..& it can be a variety of terrain..yet normally what exits at or close to the building site. My former father in law ( Neil Weston) hand dug & mixed & sun dried into bricks then walled up homes about Carmel & to this day they stand beautifully & provide a breathing wall..& looks wonderful un- painted. I don't understand what has transpired in your production process yet it seems your property projects are lit up with joy & sense of humour🎇 Weeds are flowers by another name.Most nursery's are selling non native varieties which don't offer regional plant foods & pollens to the native bugs,insects & birds.
Mexicans still construct boveda ceilings like that!
It's the arthritis that gets you first.
The bedroom ceiling is wonderful! I would have loved to see the craftsman's formers, they must have been phenominal. A true labour of love.
An herbalists dream field… An alchemist of mercy and compassion place for certain… Thank you for this beautiful video… Curious if one can make a certain oil that is renown for healing of the nations. If you will??? (Kaneh Bosm Oil???)