Porto Fira Suites in Santorini by Interior Design Laboratorium.

Interior Design Laboratorium (IDL) studio recently undertook the refurbishment of Porto Fira Suites, a hotel located in the steep cliff of the Caldera in Santorini, creating a unique retreat for those who take pleasure in enjoying the ultimate experience of luxurious relaxation. Built in the picturesque area of Kato Fira, Porto Fira Suites is composed of 13 suites that blend in with their natural environment, as well as the different narratives surrounding the island. The ultimate goal set by the design team was to recreate the silent mystique energy of Santorini, while completely renovating seven suites and redesigning the exterior areas, building facade and the pool area.

Inspiration was drawn from the oldest part of the hotel that used to serve as a standalone house for the a nearby church. IDL thoroughly researched the building’s history, creating a design that abides to the rules of the monastic architecture synonymous with the Aegean islands.

“Our goal was to combine pure simplicity with heavy and strong materials, such as wood and metal, that have undergone a specialised ageing process” says Stamos Hondrodimos, director of IDL studio.

The majority of the furniture, door frames and other decorative elements were custom designed in order to assure a perfectly balanced outcome. The wardrobes’ perforated black doors, made of Viennese straw and sandblasted oak, are a discrete reference to the confession boxes found in monasteries as well as the byzantine – like stone floors that one encounters in ever suite. Pendant lights, handmade out of black rope, are reminiscent of traditional Greek chaplets.

This unique project was completed with the design of a black pool that creates an illusion of blending into the deep Santorini sea. Its remarkable colour sets an extraordinary scenery that is perfectly combined with the absolute view of the dark volcano overlooking the Suites.

[Images courtesy of Interior Design Laboratorium. Photography by Giorgos Sfakianakis.]