Nestled among the rugged mountains of Arcadia in the heart of the Greek Peloponnese, a remarkable holiday home is rooted in nearly two centuries of family history. Designed by Athens-based interior architecture studio Stones and Walls, the residence occupies the site of the Haretos family’s ancestral stone cottage, creating a connection between heritage, architecture, and setting that feels both personal and unmistakably contemporary.
The 550-square-metre home reinterprets the past, with rich layers of stone, timber, textured plaster, soft textiles, and dark metal creating interiors that feel timeless.
The emotional heart of the project lies beneath its foundations, as the Haretos family has owned the land since the Greek War of Independence in 1821.
Design Director Afroditi Bonatsou considered this history as the project’s guiding principle, saying “The main inspiration for the interiors was the idea of belonging — belonging to a setting, to memory, and to a quieter rhythm of life.”
Bonatsou explains that the goal was to create rooms that carry a sense of calm rather than visual noise, using materials and tones that feel elemental and lasting.
Balancing emotional heritage with contemporary living proved to be the defining challenge of the project, as Bonatsou notes, “The biggest challenge in designing this residence was finding the right balance between emotional continuity and contemporary living.”
The project was not simply about constructing a new house; it was about reinterpreting a deeply personal story connected to the ruins of the owner’s ancestral home, which has been reconstructed using its original stones and now serves as a guesthouse.
This sensitivity is evident throughout the residence, where clean architectural forms are softened by tactile materials and warm, earthy finishes that never compete with the surrounding setting.
Related: Top Luxury Lighting Brands for Seasonal Investment
The home’s architecture follows a considered spatial hierarchy, balancing moments of connection with opportunities for calm retreat, with the lower level serving as a sheltered sanctuary and the upper floor bringing together communal spaces.
Throughout the residence, thoughtfully integrated architectural moments encourage slower rhythms of life, such as built-in window seats that become places for reading and reflection.
Bonatsou describes it as an interest in the contrast between intimacy and openness, with some spaces feeling protective and cocooning, while others open generously toward the setting.
The interiors derive their richness from materiality, with natural stone extending seamlessly from the exterior into key interior walls, grounding the home within its setting, and warm timber joinery, textured plaster finishes, soft woven textiles, and detailed dark metal accents introducing depth without overwhelming the calm palette.
The colour story remains equally restrained, favouring muted taupes, and weathered stone tones punctuated by bronze, black, rust, and occasional deep blue accents.
The design element that best expresses Bonatsou’s point of view is the material layering — especially the relationship between stone, wood, plaster, textile, and dark metal.
This approach allows the home to settle naturally into the rugged setting, with every opening carefully positioned to frame sweeping views of the Arcadian wilderness, making the changing setting an ever-present part of daily life.
At the centre of the communal living area, a suspended cast-iron fireplace provides both sculptural focus and literal warmth, anchoring the home’s gathering spaces throughout every season, and as the night falls, the home glows softly against the Arcadian setting, much like the Paddington redesign which also prioritized subtle warmth.
Leave a Reply