Step inside this smart Mykonos house, designed for solitude or celebration

Anamesa by K-Studio is a Mykonos house that draws on its Greek island setting's architectural vernacular and rocky landscape – while offering a haven of peace for its inhabitants

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Anamesa by K-Studio, contemporary Mykonos House within white and minimalist yet sleek forms and inside outside living arrangements
(Image credit: Ana Santl)

If the words 'Mykonos house' bring to mind island parties, beachside negronis and the big blue Aegean Sea, you might be surprised to find out that only one of these things define the experience at Anamesa. The new home, designed by Athens-based practice K-Studio, is a private residence in one of Greece's busiest, buzziest islands; yet it was designed to bring peace and balance to its inhabitants, who were keen to make the most of the island, and all its different facets.

Anamesa by K-Studio, contemporary Greek House within white and minimalist yet sleek forms and inside outside living arrangements

(Image credit: Ana Santl)

Anamesa by K-Studio, contemporary Mykonos House within white and minimalist yet sleek forms and inside outside living arrangements

(Image credit: Ana Santl)

Explore Anamesa, a new Mykonos house by K-Studio

Anamesa means 'in between', the architects explain, and it was the liminal place between buzz and quiet, business and domestic calm that they tried to capture for their client through this design. To achieve this, the plot, set above Kalafatis beach, on the quieter east side of the island, was picked for the choices it provides – activities on offer nearby range from social spots to sporting sites and more low-key corners, something to suit every mood.

Anamesa by K-Studio, contemporary Greek House within white and minimalist yet sleek forms and inside outside living arrangements

(Image credit: Ana Santl)

Anamesa by K-Studio, contemporary Greek House within white and minimalist yet sleek forms and inside outside living arrangements

(Image credit: Ana Santl)

This tension, option and balance set the scene for a Mykonos home that draws on local land and intelligence. The architects explain: 'Anamesa draws from this expanded field: inseparable from the rawness of its elements, the island spirit is honed by the Cycladic light, the meltemi winds and the salt of the sea force, into a culture of openness, conviviality, and exchange. Alongside this primal condition, Mykonos has evolved into a cosmopolitan crossroads defined by nightlife, multicultural energy, and a globally influential hospitality culture.

'At the same time, the ancestral presence of Delos with its open-air archaeological landscape bridges contemporary life with memory and heritage.'

Anamesa by K-Studio, contemporary Greek House within white and minimalist yet sleek forms and inside outside living arrangements

(Image credit: Ana Santl)

Anamesa by K-Studio, contemporary Greek House within white and minimalist yet sleek forms and inside outside living arrangements

(Image credit: Ana Santl)

The architects describe the forces at play here, such as solitude and celebration, rawness and refinement, stillness and movement, tradition and contemporary existence, 'not as oppositions, but as overlapping conditions'. The result is a home that feels at once welcoming and clearly defined, full of character yet not shouting for attention.

Soft corners, natural materials, neutral colours that sit comfortably within the broader context and an effortless transition between inside and out that helps to negotiate seasonal changes and different weather conditions make for a residence designed for easy living, to be used year-round.

Anamesa by K-Studio, contemporary Greek House within white and minimalist yet sleek forms and inside outside living arrangements

(Image credit: Ana Santl)

Anamesa by K-Studio, contemporary Greek House within white and minimalist yet sleek forms and inside outside living arrangements

(Image credit: Ana Santl)

Textures and surfaces were selected to complement each other - you will not find sharp juxtapositions and intensity here. The home's grandeur comes from its majestic poise as it sits nestled into the island's rocky terrain.

Semi-buried into the hill, the structure is orientated to look out towards the long views of the Aegean, while cosy – yet still expansive – rooms inside offer options to feel open to the horizon on offer, or remain cocooned within the land.

Anamesa by K-Studio, contemporary Greek House within white and minimalist yet sleek forms and inside outside living arrangements

(Image credit: Ana Santl)

Anamesa by K-Studio, contemporary Greek House within white and minimalist yet sleek forms and inside outside living arrangements

(Image credit: Ana Santl)

The interior spans private bedroom suites, wellness areas, and service functions, connected by a softened, skylit circulation system. Meanwhile, the outdoor areas and landscaping complete the composition.

'The landscape is not an extension but a continuation of the architecture, where stone retaining walls, native vegetation, and crafted outdoor moments include a Citrus House for dining and a circular threshing-floor fire lounge, gradually blurring the separation between built form and ground,' write the team.

Anamesa by K-Studio, contemporary Greek House within white and minimalist yet sleek forms and inside outside living arrangements

(Image credit: Ana Santl)

Anamesa by K-Studio, contemporary Greek House within white and minimalist yet sleek forms and inside outside living arrangements

(Image credit: Ana Santl)

Indeed, elements such as Citrus House, a round-shaped stone structure – a site-specific version of a conversation pit – on one of the open terraces, bring local vernacular elements into the contemporary design solution.

'Situated by the entrance, [it] reinterprets a vernacular typology as a gesture of protected openness, to express a culture of hospitality where what arrives from elsewhere is welcomed, adapted, and allowed to belong,' the architects explain.

Anamesa by K-Studio, contemporary Greek House within white and minimalist yet sleek forms and inside outside living arrangements

(Image credit: Ana Santl)

Anamesa by K-Studio, contemporary Greek House within white and minimalist yet sleek forms and inside outside living arrangements

(Image credit: Ana Santl)

To perfect their vision, the architects worked with local Cycladic craftspeople and their time-honed skills, putting together a material palette of stone, lime, and timber in a composition that feels appropriate and elevated.

Traditional techniques have been reinterpreted and enhanced through modern technology, while bespoke furniture, lighting and curated spatial sequences make this Mykonos house a truly one-of-a-kind, tailored experience.

Anamesa by K-Studio, contemporary Greek House within white and minimalist yet sleek forms and inside outside living arrangements

(Image credit: Ana Santl)

Anamesa by K-Studio, contemporary Greek House within white and minimalist yet sleek forms and inside outside living arrangements

(Image credit: Ana Santl)

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Ellie Stathaki
Ellie Stathaki

Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).