Most of us know Audrey Hepburn for her impeccable style and on-screen grace. But those in her inner circle knew that she wasn’t just a fashion and cinema icon – she had some serious lifestyle chops, too. In the newly published book Audrey at Home, Luca Dotti reminisces about his mother’s green thumb and love of lazy days at home with the family. Here are five can’t-miss tidbits even the most Audrey-obsessed fan might not know.
1. In spite of being a jet-setting actress, Audrey was actually a homebody. At an appearance on Larry King Live, she laid it all out: “It’s going to sound like a thumping bore, but my idea of heaven is Robert and my two sons at home – I hate separations – and the dogs, a good movie, a wonderful meal, and great television all coming together. I am really blissful when that happens. My goal was not to have huge luxuries. As a child, I wanted a house with a garden, which I have today. This is what I dreamed of.”
Credit: “Audrey at Home” by Luca Dotti. Copyright: 2015, HarperDesign
2. When she moved from Italy to her native Switzerland, Audrey bought a modern farmhouse in the small town of Tolochenaz. She named the home La Paisible, “the place of peace” in French. Which was fitting, because it was where she felt most at home.
Credit: “Audrey at Home” by Luca Dotti. Copyright: 2015, HarperDesign
3. Audrey always wanted to have her own garden – and she got it at La Paisible. She was so into self-sufficiency that she grew all her own vegetables and even briefly contemplated breeding rabbits and chickens.
Credit: “Audrey at Home” by Luca Dotti. Copyright: 2015, HarperDesign
4. The Hollywood starlet adored her animals. She had a few dogs (and one baby deer) over the years, but none as precious as her Jack Russell terriers. She fed them wholesome, garden-sourced meals: fresh carrots, boiled rice, and seared meat, finished with a drizzle of olive oil.
Credit: “Audrey at Home” by Luca Dotti. Copyright: 2015, HarperDesign
5. Audrey loved flowers almost as much as she loved her dogs. She wanted fresh blooms in every room in the house and would pick them herself each morning. In Holland, they honored her with two namesake Dutch flowers: Audrey Hepburn Tulip and Audrey Hepburn Rose.
By Brianna Lapolla, Associate Editor
