Local entrepreneur, Rosanna Funiciello Smith, has been sourcing and curating antiques and vintage decor since 2003 when she married her Virginia gentleman, Kevin. Rosanna discovered that hearing stories about the antique furniture and farm implements in and around Kevin’s childhood home, now known as the Villa Smith Farmette, were stories that fed her soul. The ”good ol’ days” and the old things that had survived them gave her an appreciation for craftsmanship, preservation, recycling and honoring the past, all while having utility in the present and the future. In a sense, she became a steward for things that might otherwise have been discarded or forgotten.
Following a rewarding career with PricewaterhouseCoopers, she opened her first antiques shop called Bella Villa, “beautiful country estate” in the historic village of Aldie, a place oft viewed as the gateway between the bustling modern suburbs and the bucolic countryside.
From her years in corporate, Rosanna recognized the value of collaborating with and leveraging the strengths of colleagues, leading her to assemble a team of seasoned decorators, vendors and pickers, each with their own style and sources, who collectively created a great place to shop for the ever increasing populations of Prince William, Loudoun, Fairfax and Fauquier counties.
She squirreled away her favorite pieces, “acorn by acorn” one might say, curating a collection that would become known as her “Squirrel Stash”. Two poignant customer requests for the use of Rosanna’s special collection resulted in two magazine publications - Weddings Unveiled for an editorial photo shoot that took place at the Farmette, and Southern Living Weddings for the first wedding she ever styled.
Since then, countless other magazine and blog publications have published Rosanna’s work, while demand for her styling skills and rental collection led her to close the Aldie retail store and focus on Bella Villa Antiques & Vintage Rentals, bringing her to the vast warehouse space atop one of Marshall’s largest commercial buildings on Main Street (the former Marshall Hardware).
Rosanna’s genuine passion for using heirlooms to recount stories in memorable atmospheres, combined with her styling abilities and joyful demeanor all contribute to her success in making special events like weddings and birthdays a beautiful reality.
Sacrifices and simple living have brought a long time dream to fruition for Rosanna and Kevin. They are the proud owners of 8371 W. Main Street in Marshall, Virginia where Bella Villa continues to operate upstairs.
Rosanna has revitalized and rebranded the antiques shop formerly on the main floor to become Marshall Curated, once again assembling a select group of antiques dealers, decorators and creatives with vintage and new home furnishings and gifts.
Open Thursday through Monday, 10:30am - 5:00pm, the local community and visitors alike are welcome to shop regular store hours or schedule private shopping appointments.
"I feel like an ambassador for these vintage pieces in that I help to convey their story and give them renewed purpose.
At the heart of it, we are recyclers of beautiful and useful things.