The latest stories from Remodelista

by Margot Guralnick

The paneled wood doors and window frames are reproductions, painted to match the sea and sky on Sikinos, one of the most secluded of the Cycladic Islands. But far from being a cookie-cutter update, what’s remarkable about this historic villa update by Marianna Kapsimali and Alexandros Kapsimalis of Kapsimalis Architects is its deft melding of past and present—and sense of restraint.

“We seek the values and customs, the old aesthetics and pre-existing memories, the construction techniques and materials of each place in order to show them in a modern twist,”  write the architects, whose firm is 10 years old. “The wishes and hidden desires of future users are mixed with the project’s background in search of a new perception of space and identity.”

As the chill encroaches, join us for a fond look back at simple, sophisticated indoor-outdoor living, Greek island style.

Photographs by Yiorgos Kordakis, styling by Ioli Chiotini, courtesy of Kapsimalis Architects (@kapsimalisarchitects).

Above: The public entry, on the south side of the property, is off an old pedestrian street in the village of Chorio.
Above: The gate opens to a planted pathway leading into the back of the house, which is oriented to the Aegean. The structure was built in the late 19th century from local stone. The owners, who are French and in the board game business, divide their time between here and Toulouse.
Above: The doors lead to a double living area bisected by the first of many archways throughout the house. “After a detailed study of the old building, the architectural intervention aimed at the absolute preservation of its original form without any alteration of its identity,” explain the architects.

That said, this was a thorough renovation, and though the floor plan was preserved, the “geometry and the structure of the interior spaces” and the connections between them received a sophisticated fine-tuning.

Above: The rooms have tall ceilings with their original beams and reconstructed floors of “smooth cement plaster in an earthy brown.” The furnishings, a mix of the antique, handmade, and modern, are intentionally simple and modest, “in direct relation with the wild nature of the island.”
Above: The other half of the room is the dining area. The newly exposed rafters throughout required a thorough cleaning and were given a protective undercoat to keep them from being eaten by insects.
Above: The new kitchen is charmingly rustic-modern. There’s a range vent tucked inside the stove’s archway. The brass bridge faucet is by Bongio of Italy.
Above: A plate rack hangs over a prep table. For more ideas, see 10 Easy Pieces: Wall-Hung Plate Racks.
Above: A Dutch door leads to a courtyard and series of gardens—there are lemon trees, a pine grove, and herb beds.
Above: The outdoor dining room is just outside the kitchen.
Above: An internal stair from the kitchen leads to the guest room with a garden view. Note the recessed shelving in lieu of a headboard.
Above: The architects detailed the room with an artful open closet. The room has its own outdoor sitting area enclosed by thick walls.
Above: The full-length mirror is lit by a Jielde Signal 1-Arm Wall Sconce.
Above: The bathrooms are all newly appointed with built-in fittings. This one has twisted vine rafters.
Above: In the main bedroom, an arched slatted doorway draws light and sea breezes into the bath.
Above: Refurbished interior shutters open to the sitting/dining room.
Above: A clean-lined bathroom refurbishment. The brass faucets throughout are by Bongio.
Above: The house and its terraces and gardens unfold in the back, overlooking the Aegean.

Floor Plan

Above: Nestled on a hillside stepped back from the street, the villa has an open living-dining area leading to the kitchen and two well-separated bedroom suits, all flowing out to the garden.

Take a look at three more skillful updates of historic villas:

• Collective Composition: A Villa Renovation in Auckland By Katie Lockhart and Jack McKinney Architects
• A Villa in the Puglia Countryside with Rooms to Let
• Villa Lena: A Creative Hug (and Hotel) in Tuscany

N.B.: This story originally appeared on October 28, 2022 and has been updated.

by Margot Guralnick

This bright kitchen belongs to two leaders of the style pack in Denmark: Frederik Bille Brahe is the chef-owner of Atelier September, the now-departed Apollo Bar and Kantine, and the brand-new Daphne, all of which we adore. Caroline Brasch Nielsen (who also goes by Bille Brahe) is one of the world’s leading fashion models and has her own clothing line, Caro Editions. Their wedding was chronicled in American Vogue—Helena Christensen was a bridesmaid—and the couple now have two young kids.

They live with an easy flair, as evidenced by every inch of their quarters on the top floor of a 17th-century house in the heart of Copenhagen. Come have a look at their center of action.

Photography courtesy of Reform.

Above: The couple describe the kitchen as “Donald Judd meets Ellsworth Kelly—living in a
centuries-old house made us hunger for something contemporary and efficient.” The cabinets are composed of Ikea components fronted with vibrant doors from Reform’s Match design by Muller Van Severen.

The white porcelain wall fixtures with half-chrome bulbs are from THPG of Germany.

Above: The countertop is stainless steel and the matte brass faucet is the Fusion design from Quooker.

The cabinet doors are composed of HDPE (high density polyethylene) and come in six colors that can be mixed and matched as desired. Reform is based in Denmark and has showrooms in Brooklyn and LA, among other places. The company specializes in offering upgrades for Ikea cabinets, but also makes its own cabinet line.

Above: In addition to cooking just about all of the family’s meals here, Bille Brahe experiments with recipes. The juicer is the Frieling Citrus Press. The Japanese-designed SANAA Armless Chair with rabbit ears is available from Maruni.
Above: Like most chefs, Bille Brahe likes to keep tools and everyday dishes within easy reach.
Above: The metal open shelves are much like Vitsoe’s 606 Universal Shelving System.
Above: The apartment’s exposed beams are original. The cooktop is an induction model with an integrated vent from Gaggenau. The dishwasher is situated to the left of the sink, behind the peach-colored cabinet.
Above: A serving idea worth borrowing.
Above: The dining chairs are Børge Mogensen’s J39 design, which has been in continuous production since 1947. “We wanted the kitchen to be practical and functional for everyday use,” the couple say, noting that they kept the  space open “so our kids can dance and play here, and naturally
become a part of the cooking.”
Above: The upholstered bench is akin to the Danish classic PK80 Daybed by Poul Kjærholm.
Above: “For Fred, the kitchen is his office,” says Brasch Nielsen. “He uses it for making recipes and sometimes working on the computer. It’s also a nice spot to have a drink when we have guests.” The hanging light is a vintage PH Snowball Kontrast Pendant Lamp by Louis Poulsen.
Above: The room has a courtyard view and golden light. Go to @frederikbillebrahe and @caroline_brasch to catch glimpses of the kitchen being lived in.

Here are three more kitchens with Reform’s cabinet doors:

• Kitchen of the Week: Base Cabinets by Ikea, Chic and Colorful Doors by Reform
• A Line of Ikea Cabinets Made with Dinesen Wood
• A Japanese- Style Upgrade for Ikea Kitchens

N.B.: This story originally ran on September 8, 2022 and has been updated with new information.