Mithimnis Rooftop Apartment

The first floor has a large central hallway and reception space, dining room, living room, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen and workspace. The main bedroom has a large ensuite shower room overlooking the garden courtyard below. The private rooftop terrace, accessible by an external metal stair, was designed by renowned Greek landscape architect Helli Pangalou. It is a patchwork of pebble-cement pavers and gravel, planted with native, drought-tolerant species accustomed to the hot Athenian summers, with seating under two pergolas, an outdoor sink and workbench.

The floors are a mix of restored wooden floorboards and a pared-back terrazzo, with subtle variations in tone, colour and aggregate size between rooms. Bathroom wet areas and a generously sized kitchen workbench are made from a richly veined Cipollino marble. Sinks and splashbacks are formed of simple stacked marble pieces. The apartment’s furnishings are a mix of old and new – a marble entrance bench and altar by artist Theodore Psychoyos, an early 19th century workshop bench, antique wardrobes fitted with custom butterfly-shaped bronze handles, locally handcrafted bed frames with high quality mattresses, among other carefully selected pieces.

The apartment is in a restored “simplified classical”-style building in Kypseli, built in the 1920s. An eclectic facade with art deco detailing gives the impression of a single residence, originally housing two grand apartments and later, a drawing school. A recent refurbishment in collaboration with London-based architects, Royffe Flynn, preserves the proportions, textures and grandeur of the spaces, while updating with modern amenities.

The apartment is in the lively Athenian neighbourhood of Kypseli – a five-minute walk from Agiou Georgiou Square, well-known for its tavernas and local bars, and one of Athens’s largest public parks, Pedion tou Areos. It is within walking distance to the weekly Farmers Market, the Victoria metro station, and Kypseli’s busy and lovely tree-lined pedestrian square, Fokionos Negri, occupied by small cafés, restaurants, bars and shops.