yinjispace

ARCHITECTURE
K-Studio
INTERIOR
Studio Bonarchi
PHOTOGRAPHY
Paris Brummer
ACT-Studio
Yiorgos Kordakis
Vangelis Paterakis
WORDS
Xunzi
EDITOR
Jinjie
Collection

We left the bustling town and made our way to the ridge along the northwest of Mykonos. The noise faded behind us, replaced by an expanse where time seemed to stand still. In the distance, a cluster of white buildings lay quietly along the hilltop, like a natural amphitheater carved by sunlight. This is Kalesma—a vessel for light envisioned by designer Vangelis Bonios, a place where time, nature, and the soul return to harmony.

The entrance unfolds as a modest yet elegant outdoor foyer. An ancient olive tree stands still, its leaves trembling gently in the breeze—as if whispering: the ritual of serenity begins here. Stepping into the lobby, daylight retreats at once; the gaze narrows, condensing the sea and sky into a single point of focus. “Light requires the praise of shadow,” says Vangelis, running his fingers along the rough stone wall. “Just as in Greek mythology, the underworld makes Olympus’s light more sacred.” He deliberately lowers the brightness of the space, letting darkness become the prelude to light—this cave-like stillness was a seed planted five years ago with K-Studio, marking the island’s first interior defined by deep, moody tones.

Material becomes the quiet narrator of this architecture. Beneath the minimalist structure, richness flows through detail: beyond the binary of black and white, gradients of brown and grey unfold with warmth. Old timber beams and bamboo weave whisper the traces of time, while the wooden panels behind the reception desk exude a natural glow. Hand-plastered walls recall the vernacular language of Mykonian homes; a sculptural fireplace stands at the centre, its forged details carrying the soul of local craftsmanship. The sofas flanking it reinterpret traditional furniture—ancient in form, yet enlivened by contemporary accents.

In Vangelis’s philosophy, every detail has its reason to exist. A wall sconce is never a mere ornament—it is a key that unlocks memory. The lampshade woven from horsehair recalls the land’s past as a home for herds. In the centre of the living room stands a traditional Mykonian loom; a textile artist has used ancient techniques to weave modern patterns, while Vangelis has woven the hues of the earth into the fabric of time, allowing Greek civilisation—carried by wind and prayer—to quietly endure within a contemporary frame.

Tradition and innovation converge here like two streams of time flowing together. Within the furnishings, contemporary design is integrated in a more restrained manner—Rick Owens’s sculptural armchair quietly generates new echoes and sensibilities within the space.Vangelis hopes that every traveller may feel the heartbeat of Greece here—and, in a fleeting moment, encounter something quietly familiar, like home.

The staircase leading to the spa descends gently, as if guiding one into a silent journey. A low dome and black volcanic stone walls enclose the path in darkness, pierced only by a narrow slit of light. Footsteps dissolve softly into the sound of water in the central pool—like the overture to a quiet purification. As the eyes adjust to the dimness, they prepare for the awakening of light. At the end of the passage, the door opens into a pure white treatment room, illuminated by a cascade of light from the skylight—a serene yet powerful contrast to the dark corridor before it. “To reach the light, one must pass through darkness,” says Vangelis. Through the sculpting of light itself, he invites visitors to traverse the solemn metaphor of stone, shedding pressure and shadow to arrive at the shores of hope, calm, and sun.

We emerge from the shadows, and light bursts open—the vast Aegean unfolds before our eyes. Around the corner, a minimalist white chapel stands quietly, stirring our curiosity. Inside, the soul seems to be gently cleansed by light and silence: the charred-wood screen bears a calm texture; hand-forged iron chandeliers descend, infusing solemnity; low black benches line the floor, inviting visitors to pause and pray. Vangelis paints biblical fragments in monochrome, bringing divinity back to the realm of perception. When the setting sun filters through glass and casts its glow upon the mural, gold leaf shimmers within the dark surface—the sanctity of the moment lies not in gilded domes, but in the subtle breath between light and time.

A full moon rises over the white tower, and the shadows on the rock face drift slowly through the night. Kalesma hangs quietly between sea and sky, like a constellation woven from light and wind. Here, nothing is replicated—only the echoes of nature and time remain. Vangelis teaches design humility: to let space follow perception, to let materials listen to the pulse of the earth, to let every line breathe with history. In his world, luxury never shouts—it is a gentle reverence, a poised balance between light and time.

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