This Cycladic villa is located on Serifos island, Cyclades, Greece and it was originally built in 1998. Andrew Sheinman, founder of award-winning New York-based interior design firm Pembrooke & Ives, and his wife Helen purchased this house in 2005. They have kept all the original structures and added rooms, terraces, and gardens over the years. The house overlooks the Aegean Sea, surrounded by terraced gardens and groves of olive, lemon, and fig trees, only a short drive from the main port town of the island.
From the interior of the house, the view is not interrupted by any other houses – just the ocean and the island of Sifnos on the horizon. As a result, the home feels incredibly private and remote. It is also built in a way to create many comfortable places protected from the harsh elements of the island, including the hot summer sun and the strong Meltemi winds. In expanding the architecture, they were inspired by the traditional Cycladic design vernacular, from the whitewashed walls to the raw-stone exterior that blends into the landscape. Indoors, the kitchen is their center of gravity.
Though stainless steel, Carrara marble, glass fixtures, and a customized Dutch stove lend an air of refinement to the space, it is designed to be a workhorse. This is a house for hosting, entertaining, and bringing family and friends together in one place. The intention was for the house to feel comfortable and easy to use, while also fun and contemporary. Many of the interior elements were created by craftsmen and local materials. There are many multi-functional outdoor spaces for cooking, eating, and lounging. The living room’s cocktail table and banquette are customs, and the striped pillows are in a Les Toiles du Soleil fabric. The Queen Elizabeth II print is by Andy Warhol.