An Athens studio that still feels like an apartment

What makes this small Athens project interesting is how little it tries to erase. Local Local has turned a ground-floor apartment in Kolonaki into its first permanent studio, keeping the bones of the flat in place and working within the limits of a lease. The arched entrance remains, the wooden floors were repaired rather than replaced, and the rippled-glass doors were restored and darkened instead of being swapped out. It sounds more like a conversation with the existing rooms than a refit.

Inside, the L-shaped plan now holds a main workspace and a meeting room in what used to be a bedroom. A solid-cypress table made by architect Sofia Xanthakou’s cousin set the tone for the rest of the furniture: a large shared desk, two window-facing workstations, and a mix of solid wood and Formica alongside older office chairs that stayed put. Books are part of the architecture here too, with a Vitsoe shelving system holding Xanthakou’s library from her studies and work in Boston and London.

The details seem to do most of the work. Michael Anastassiades lights run across the office and meeting room, a pistachio-coloured perforated metal pinboard creates space for off-screen collaboration, and two marble pieces by Theodore Psychoyos form a console and seating area at the entrance. It is a private studio rather than somewhere to visit, but it is a good one to read for anyone interested in modest, well-judged reuse.

Our summary of a story from designboom, published 3 October 2026. Read the original

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