Joseph Forstmayr not only fell in love with Jamaica, he developed an appreciation for the island's plantation style homes. As a result, the Austrian transplant constructed a home resembling an old sugar plantation with the feel and architectural flourishes of Jamaica's historic structures.

Then, it's on to Villa Lechi, the impressive 16th century Italian estate that is home to two brothers. The villa's incredible details and scale underscore rumors of its link to the Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio.

Next, see how Tom Fallon transformed a dark, Victorian cottage into a charming light-filled space. Eclectic antiques and yard sale finds make this Shelter Island home a whimsical weekend getaway.

Our last stop is Ambleville, France for a visit to a centuries-old chateau. There, you'll meet the Countess Villefranche, who assumed responsibility of caring for the family home and left the interiors as they were—antiques, portraits and gardens intact.

Josef Forstmayr Facts:

• Josef Forstmayr relocated from his home in Austria to Jamaica 20 years ago.

• Jamaica, once an English colony, became a nation in 1962.

Contact:

Round Hill Hotel and Villas
PO Box 64
Montego Bay, Jamaica, WI
876-956-7050 (Main)
800-972-2159 (Reservations)
roundhill@cwjamaica.com
www.roundhilljamaica.com

Resources:

Jamaican Culture and International Folklore, Superstitions, Beliefs, Dreams, Proverbs and Remediesby Claudette Copney

Moon Handbooks: Jamaica (4th Ed.)
by Karl Luntta

Stay in a Jamaican Villa
http://bluemar.home.mindspring.com

Villa Leci Facts:

• The Lechis, a prominent Italian family, built the villa more than 600 years ago.

• Villa Lechi was built in the Palladin style.

Contact:

Francesco Lechi, Professor
Villa Lechi
Via S. Bonifacio
25030 Erbusco, Italy
39-2-706-30087 (Milan)
Villa Lechi is open to the public by special appointment only.

Resources:

Bringing Italy Home : Creating the Feeling of Italy in Your Home Room by Room(Bringing It Home Series)
by Cheryl MacLachlan, Bo Niles, Ivan Terestchenko (Photographer)

La Dolce Vita: Living in Italy
by Catherine Fairweather, Mark Luscombe-Whyte (Photographer)

Stay in a villa in Italy
www.italian-villas.com

Shelter Island Facts:

• Known for its charming Victorian style buildings, Shelter Island is a tiny island off the coast of Long Island, New York.

• Shelter Island began as a religious health camp in the 1870s.

Contact:

Shelter Island Historical Society
Attn: Louise Green
16 South Ferry Road
PO Box 847
Shelter Island, NY 11964
631-749-0025
www.shelterislandhistsoc.org

Resources:
www.onisland.com

More on Shelter Island
www.shelter-island.org

Countess Villefranche Facts:

• Ambleville, France is a small town about an hour outside of Paris.

• Chateau d'Ambleville has been in the Villefranche family for the last 200 years.

Contact:

Stephanie Marquise de Villefranche
Chateau et les Jardins d'Ambleville
1 rue de la Mairie
95710 Ambleville, France
01-34-67-71-34

Resources:

Bringing it Home - France : Creating the Feeling of France in Your Home Room by Room
by Cheryl MacLachlan, Annetta Hanna (Editor), Bo Niles, Ivan Terestchenko (Photographer)

The French Chateau: Life, Style, Tradition
by Christiane De Nicolay-Mazery, Christiane de Nicolay-Mazery, Jean-Bernard Naudin (Photographer)

Eyewitness Travel Guide to France
by Rosemary Bailey (Editor), John Ardagh (Editor), Deni Bown