Mediterranean design shaped by the Cretan landscape
- Project Villa Ayeria
- Location Panormo, Rethymno, Crete, Greece
- Design Kaloterakis Design Group
- Collections Gatsby, Milos, Love. Africa, Sabinas
At Villa Ayeria, architecture does not compete with the landscape.
Located in Panormo, a coastal village near Rethymno, this residence makes light, water and outdoor living an essential part of the experience. The villa lies just a few steps from the sea and the village’s small harbour, in surroundings defined by clear waters, traditional Cretan architecture and a relaxed pace of life. From here, the coastline and the arid hills of northern Crete create a mineral-toned horizon that accompanies every space.
Designed to accommodate up to twelve guests, Villa Ayeria features six bedrooms, generous terraces and a 100 m² infinity pool that becomes the visual heart of the project. The residence also includes a children’s pool, several outdoor relaxation areas and a complete wellness space with a heated indoor pool, sauna and gym.
More than a holiday villa, it proposes a way of living connected to the climate, the landscape and time spent together.
The interior design and furnishing project developed by Kaloterakis Group begins with a precise understanding of the location. Founded in 1976, the Cretan company specialises in residential and contract furniture, kitchens, hotel equipment and bespoke solutions for private and professional spaces. Its work is characterised by a restrained, functional and timeless aesthetic, reflected in the way Ayeria Villa combines contemporary architecture, warm materials and outdoor furniture.
Architecture that extends life outdoors
The ville is organised around a succession of terraces, balconies and covered areas that blur the boundaries between inside and outside. Large glass openings allow the pool, the sea and the surrounding landscape to become visually present within the shared living spaces, while deep overhangs create shaded areas in which to pause during the warmest hours of the day.
The white architecture, timber façades and sand-toned flooring establish a calm palette inspired by the surrounding terrain. Against this neutral base, Vondom furniture introduces different ways of experiencing the outdoors: relaxing beside the water, talking beneath the terrace or gathering around the table.
Each collection finds its place without imposing itself. The pieces complement the architecture and bring identity to the project through proportion, texture and colour.
Gatsby: a serene line beside the pool
The infinity pool defines the heart of Villa Ayeria. Along one side, the Gatsby sun loungers, designed by Ramón Esteve, create an orderly, lightweight composition that reinforces the horizontal lines of the space.
Their clean geometry establishes a natural dialogue with the linear architecture and the continuous plane of the water. Presented in a neutral finish, the loungers merge with the flooring without interrupting the views towards the landscape and the sea.
Inspired by the elegance of Art Deco and the world of the 1920s, Gatsby combines sophistication with formal simplicity. In this project, the collection avoids any excessive gesture, offering instead a quiet, precise and thoroughly contemporary presence.
The result is a poolside area designed around the passing hours: from the intensity of midday light to the softer reflections of sunset.
Milos: indoor comfort beneath the Cretan sky
In the lounge areas, the Milos armchairs and modular sofas, designed by Jean-Marie Massaud, introduce a softer and more enveloping scale. Their organic volumes, upholstered in light tones and accompanied by cushions in earthy shades, create a relaxed atmosphere reminiscent of the comfort of an indoor living room.
The forms of Milos are inspired by rocks shaped by the wind and the sea. This natural reference feels particularly coherent at Ayeria Villa, where the furniture coexists with Crete’s mineral landscape and architecture that remains constantly open to the Mediterranean. The collection combines soft curves, modularity and functionality, and was recognised with the Red Dot Design Award in 2024.
The modules create different settings for relaxation: a large curved sofa for gathering, individual armchairs facing the pool and low tables that become natural meeting points. The compositions feel informal, yet are carefully arranged to encourage conversation, preserve the views and allow movement through the space.
Milos therefore provides a sense of shelter without enclosing the terrace. Its design invites guests to linger, read, talk or simply watch the light change across the water.
On the balconies of the upper-floor bedrooms, the Africa armchairs by Eugeni Quitllet extend this relationship between indoors and outdoors on a more intimate scale. Their light, enveloping silhouette creates small places of pause open to the landscape, designed for enjoying the Cretan light with ease.
Love: colour as a gesture of identity
The dining area introduces a more expressive chromatic note through the Love chairs by Eugeni Quitllet. Selected mainly in the Clay tone and combined with a number of lighter pieces, the chairs bring a warm reddish accent that connects with the Cretan earth, the cushions in the lounge area and the warm tones of the facade.
Colour does not function as an isolated feature, but as a continuous thread running through the project and adding depth to the neutral palette. At either end of the table, two Sabinas armchairs by Javier Mariscal, finished in Ecru, introduce a lighter contrast and quietly balance the composition.
With its fluid silhouette and organic curves, the Love chair has a light presence around the large outdoor table. Made from polypropylene reinforced with fibreglass, it is stackable and suitable for both indoor and outdoor spaces—qualities that are particularly relevant in a residential project designed for intensive and flexible use.
A contemporary way of living the Mediterranean
Villa Ayeria expresses an idea of luxury far removed from excess. Here, true privilege lies in openness, natural light, proximity to the sea and the freedom to experience each space in different ways.
The Gatsby, Milos, Love, Sabinas and Africa collections support this vision through distinct yet complementary design languages. Gatsby brings order to relaxation beside the pool. Milos creates soft, enveloping spaces for gathering. Love introduces rhythm, lightness and a note of colour connected to the landscape. Sabinas provides a subtle visual balance around the dining table, while Africa creates more private moments of rest on the bedroom balconies.
The project demonstrates how outdoor furniture can become part of the architecture rather than simply occupying it. At Villa Ayeria, every piece contributes to a calm, warm and distinctly Mediterranean atmosphere: a place where design is experienced through the way people live, gather and allow time to pass.
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