Designed by Stella Papazoglou and Louisa Varelidi, the senior architects and founders of Polisgram Architects in Athens, this villa is constructed of locally sourced stone, with each whitewashed to amplify the reflection of light and heat. Everything was designed from scratch with the three villas originally an empty plot on the side of a mountain.
Located in Kalo Livadi, on the island of Kythnos in the Cyclades, the property enjoys ocean and mountain views with a brushwood landscape. Always spectacular, the colours shift constantly. During summer, the landscape goes from blue to earthy brown, and in spring it’s bright emerald green. As with most coastal homes, the view plays a critical role in how the floor plan has been designed.
There are three villas making up this complex with each connected to the other by large outdoor communal areas, surrounded by a contrasting raw stone wall. Inside, the 40sqm spaces have been divided into zones by raising the living area and recessing parts of the kitchen.
Throughout the villa, the focus is always looking out towards the sea, creating a calm relaxing environment as you move from zone to zone. As you enter the villa you can take a glimpse of the view from the window on your left.
There is an area for personal belongings on your right with space on the bottom for shoes. The villa's built-in sofa allows the area around it to function as additional storage, while also doubling as a small desk. The kitchen is in the same space as the living space. It is ‘’L’’ shaped and combines a kitchen counter and a dining bench. This house is designed for short-term living, so the kitchen is usually only used for simple tasks.
The kitchen is equipped with a two-stove cooktop and a sink, below is a small fridge hidden in a cupboard.
The architects added a wooden shelf to create a functional separation between the living space and the bedroom space but with the visual connection maintained. To conserve space, they chose not to have a dining table as the dining counter is very practical for a quick bite and there is ample room for outdoor dining in the courtyard (not to mention picnics by the sea).
The sleeping area is two steps higher from the living area, a bed base, as well as the bedside tables, were custom-built into the space and made in the same way as the sofa. Above the bed is a recessed wall with built-in lighting and a shelf. The bedroom also features an open wardrobe niche and an integrated desk.
The bathroom is next to the bedroom and is semi-open.
Frosted glass was added to divide the shower from the bedroom which creates privacy but allows you to see the space around you.
Small spaces are very interesting and challenging as you can’t afford to waste space. Every cm is important and we believe that everything is possible and nothing is too small as long as you take advantage of the opportunities each space provides.
Images by Ioanna Fotiadou
