All that Greeks

PostFolk / Maria-Olga Vlachou

Folk embroidery’s purpose has always been to bring joy and abundance to domestic life. With this premise, Maria-Olga Vlachou delves into the past, reworking this traditional art in present day terms. Inspired by the powerful design of tradition and the symbolic motifs of Greek folk art, the graphic designer decided to create her own label. Postfolk is the expression of a retro-future digital craft. A kind of digital embroidery, where the traditional stitch is transformed into pixels. And thus a collection of home goods, including bath and beach towels, fabrics, accessories, decorative objects and limited edition art prints, reacquaints us with the future of our past. postfolk.com

Myrro / Portaria+Archanes

Creative stories are written by groups of friends. In 2011, Alkistis and Myrto, together with their friend Andy, gave up city life and moved permanently to the “village”. There they found what they wanted: the calm rhythms of life in the mountains but also the proximity to a huge variety of herbs that grow in the Greek countryside, in order to do what they always loved. The Myrro Tea & Botanicals natural shop opened in Portaria, Pelion, while the certified Myrro Skincare natural cosmetics production laboratory is located in the picturesque village of Archanes, Crete. The holistic skincare range is based on formulas of traditional herbal therapy. The cosmetics are made with ingredients of natural origin, the packaging used is eco-friendly, and all production and standardisation processes are done by hand, so that each product is made with detail and care. In the store you will find local herbs, harvested from the wild or from their own fields, as well as others purchased from producers in the rest of Greece and abroad. Don’t leave without trying Myrro’s aromatic tea, with blends made here, combining varieties from all over the world. myrro.gr

Alexandra Bissa

She discovered her passion for weaving in Metsovo, where she spent her childhood summers watching her grandmother create colourful handmade fabrics. After completing her studies, she spent a year in the town, learning the art and secrets of the loom from local Metsovo women and then her creative resume was enriched by her Master’s degree at the University of the Arts of London. The textile designer uses the loom as the main tool of her artistic expression, weaving textiles of high aesthetic value, while her designs are the result of an open dialogue between past and present, art and the digital age, people and nature. alexandrabissa.com

Gods and Dreams Resort Epidaurus / 314 Architecture Studio

The under-construction hotel complex Gods and Dreams Resort Epidaurus looks like an experiment in harmonising the Greek landscape and culture with a design twist. The conceptual inspiration for 314 Architecture Studio, with lead architect Pavlos Chatziangelidis, for the project, was the therapeutic and recreational character of the Asclepius of Epidaurus, and morphologically the ancient Greek theatre and terraces. The central idea is to create rows of residences that will be developed on the sloping plot, just like a mezzanine. 314architecturestudio.com

Kofimicroastery / Ionnina

In the heart of Ioannina, a singular and specialised coffee shop “serves” its own concept of coffee. The smell of freshly roasted coffee will lead you there. The beans, carefully selected from all over the world, are roasted on site, while roasters and baristas work together with the ultimate goal of perfection. Top quality coffee in your cup is not just an order. It’s a whole ritual. The Kofimicroastery’s energetic team organises in-house workshops for coffee maniacs who want to learn everything, while there’s a collection of mugs and accessories linked to the black elixir that you shouldn’t miss. kofimicroroastery.gr

Faye Tsakalides / Marble Rituals

Whether it is for her next architectural project, or for the marble creations she designs, Faye Tsakalides works under a common vision: To create beautiful and functional objects that appeal to all our 5 senses with a huge amount of poetic content. Inspired by Greek history and Scandinavian aesthetics, she chooses the finest marble blocks from Tinos and Greek mainland and creates everyday objects, such as mirrors, serving trays, kitchenware, utensils and even dumbbells. marblerituals.com, fayetsakalides.co.uk

The lap house / Tinos

This country house is an example that sets new standards for domestic architecture, ensuring it a place in the Greek landscape. The Lap Pool House, signed by Aristides Dallas Architects, inspired by the cavities and outcrops of rocks, emerges from the natural landscape of Tinos as a man-made cave, creating new spatial points of exposure and introspection. The dynamics of the building are underlined by the linear volume of the pool that protrudes from the slope and directs the gaze to the horizon. The “bet” to “camouflage” the residence, maintaining respect for the grandeur of the island but also maintaining its dynamic presence, has just been won! aristidesdallas.gr