from women24
Image: at home in Greece

From the early stages of architectural design in Cape Town to the dust, sweat and tears of construction in a foreign country, architect and businessman, Peter Loebenberg, and his wife, Peggy, and SA decorators Len Straw and Johan de Villiers, have combined their talents to recreate an authentic Greek masterpiece.

Built "from the ground up", the challenge was to reproduce authentic Greek architectural design and decorating, while ensuring the integration of the Villa and its hosts into the community. Cape Town interior decorators Len Straw and Johan de Villiers scoured the mainland and other islands to unmask historical Greek charm, using hundreds of photographs from their travels as their references.

Authors of three books on decorating and exotic paint effects, Len and Johan have finished the Villa to perfection. Offering eight apartments with living room, kitchen, main bedroom and en suite bathroom, each villa has a different theme and colour sequence. Each concrete floor has been magically changed to a mosaic work of art while "paint effected" furniture capture the spirit of the island, serving as witness of the skillful brushstrokes of both “Leonardo” (an affectionate nickname used by the locals) and Johan.

Peter explains, "Villa Athena has fulfilled a dream for each of us while also giving South Africans the opportunity to get the best out of their Greek holiday - an authentic Greek Villa, incredible views and warm hosts that offer all the inside information on the best restaurants, bars, and beaches. It makes for a different experience altogether."

"We focus on the extra luxuries that one expects from a holiday, but are often overlooked in Greece. However, it is Len and Johan's understated personal service, knowledge, and warmth, that has filled our guest book with complements," he adds.

In their quest for the real thing, Villa Athena was built over eighteen months by local builders, plumbers and electricians. Even beds, designed by Len and Johan, were made by the island's 74-year-old ironsmith and 12 000 plants were imported from the mainland and planted to recreate the Villa's Greek Garden.

“We placed great focus on social responsibility, and find because of this support, the locals have accepted us with open arms, integrating us into their community. Villa Athena has been our finest success of all,” concludes Len. Skiathos is an enchanting island. The name is derived from the Greek word “skia” which means shade – another word couldn’t describe the island any better. Water supply is by an underground river, which makes Skiathos one of the greenest of the Greek Islands. With summer temperatures ranging in the mid thirties, Skiathos is the perfect destination for sun-seekers and holiday-makers alike.

For more information, visit www.villa-athena.com - with its historical and practical content and the added facility to book online.