PROJECT DETAILS
Design: DEKI studio design
Project: Lofted, AIRBNB
Project date: June 2024
Location: Lycabettus, Athens Greece
Photo: Efstathios T. Sotiriadis
In a typical Athenian apartment building from the 1960s, an apartment is transformed to serve the dual needs of its owner: a space for living and creating. The renovation is not limited to a functional upgrade of the interior but also embraces the artistic legacy of the visual artist who once lived there. This dimension adds emotional and narrative depth to the design, as the apartment is not simply redefined as a contemporary residence, but also as a tribute to the work and personality of its creator. Through flexible spatial arrangements, natural materials, and carefully considered lighting, the space acquires a new life, combining minimal aesthetics with creative freedom.
The selection of materials played a crucial role in shaping the apartment’s renewed identity. The project avoids excess and focuses instead on materials with timeless character and a sense of “memory,” respecting the history of the space. The original 1960s marble flooring was preserved and restored, highlighting the authentic identity of the apartment. In contrast, a pure white polished cement finish was introduced, ensuring visual continuity between the spaces and enhancing the diffusion of natural light. Wood in natural tones, metal, glass, and plexiglass in selected details, combined with natural textiles such as cotton, linen, and corduroy, create a balance between simplicity and warmth, avoiding the clinical effect often associated with minimalism.
Furniture, color & light. The furnishings follow clean, geometric lines, with an emphasis on objects that carry a personal history. Furniture designed and crafted by the artist herself is reintroduced into the space through subtle interventions, creating a discreet dialogue between past and present. The kitchen functions as a stable point of reference within the open-plan layout, connecting everyday activities with moments of creativity. The color palette remains calm and neutral white, beige, and selected darker tones, allowing the materials, objects, and light to take center stage. Multifunctional furniture enhances the flexibility of the space, keeping the apartment open to change, much like the creative process itself. Lighting does not function merely as a technical element, but as a narrative tool. Natural light diffuses softly through filters and reflections, while artificial lighting, low and focused, creates subtle shifts in mood.
The space transforms discreetly from bright and energetic to introspective and atmospheric, while always remaining a place of living, inspiration, and creation. A space that is never truly completed, but evolves alongside life and creativity.