A playfully designed island separating the dining area from the kitchen becomes both a functional workspace and the home’s pulsating heart. Clad in ceramic tiles in mint and pine green hues, the island balances practicality and artistry, incorporating nooks that house cookbooks, appliances, and even small artworks. Suspended above, an open shelving system in white metal casts intricate patterns of light, while honey-stained, oak-veneered cupboards form a tactile backdrop. A painting by British artist Sophie Vallance Cantor echoes the island’s green hues adding a touch of whimsy. Incorporated into the cupboards is a newly installed clerestory window that allows daylight to stream into the previously dim bathroom. A second clerestory brightens the entryway, revealing the apartment’s full depth.

The crisp, white-painted walls imbue the apartment with a gallery-like feel, ideal for displaying the couple’s art collection, which ranges from emerging local talents to international acquisitions. Pops of vibrant colour, most notably in the bathroom swathed floor to ceiling in red tiles, add a dynamic contrast to the otherwise subdued tones. These bursts of energy also find resonance in the furniture, a curated mix of antiques, vintage pieces from the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, and contemporary designs, many of which were custom-made for the project, reinforcing the home’s deeply personal narrative.

A minimalist dining table with a metal framework painted in a mint green with an oak surface anchors the dining area. Custom-made by Athenian design studio ustā workshop, the table is paired with rustic rope chairs and Danish designer Jørn Utzon’s Utzon JU1 pendant lamp in steel blue. In the adjacent living area, a curvaceous contemporary sofa in burnt orange is complemented by a vintage Scandinavian armchair, a bespoke marble and metal coffee table, also by ustā workshop, and a framed painting on hemp paper by Laila Tara H. A repurposed marble sink now serving as a sculptural console and an antique brass chandelier add to the scheme’s eclectic sensibilities.

In the study, two bespoke marble and metal desks, also by ustā workshop, are paired with vintage chairs, an upholstered swivel seat from the 1960s and a S34-style armchair in chrome steel and black leather, along with a small artwork by Anne Carney Raines. The refurbished parquet flooring enhances the room’s retro-modern charm while the apple-red wardrobe with long oak handles playfully animates the room.

All in all, this renovation masterfully blends heritage with contemporary design, creating a home that is as much a reflection of its owners’ personalities as it is a celebration of Greek architectural ingenuity.