One of our all-time favorite posts from the Remodelista archive? A Greek Architect’s Ode to Minimalism, architect Theodore Zoumboulakis’s own kitchen in his family’s retreat on the isle of Hydra. So we weren’t too surprised that another project we’ve been admiring recently is by the same hand: Zoumboulakis himself.

Nikolaou Residence, on the Greek island of Aegina—just one hour from Athens—was formerly the home and studio of the painter Nikos Nikolaou. According to the Residence: “Nikolaou and his wife Angela settled in Aegina in 1964, and their home became a regular haunt for art lovers and intellectuals. Renovation work began in 2019, with the refurbishment of the house and grounds and the creation of five guesthouses,” overseen by Zoumboulakis Architects. “Starting from the front room—originally the painter’s first studio and later his sitting room—and based on the photographic records and the family’s memories, the idea was to restore the various objects and artworks in their original place and thus reconstruct the atmosphere in which Nikolaou lived.”

Now, the Residence and its guest houses are available for stays among the olive groves. “Guesthouse residents can enjoy the sunset sitting on the stone benches where the Aegina ‘gang’ used to meet every afternoon,” including Nikolaou and the Greek artists and poets Yannis Moralis, Christos Kapralos, and Odysseas Elytis, according to the Residence. Also available? Visits to Nikolaou’s preserved Atelier—and to the Temple of Aphaea nearby.

Join us for a look around.

Photography via Nikolaou Residence.

For more info and to book, head to Nikolaou Residence. (Nightly rates start at €80.)

And for more in Greece, see: