Villa Olivia

The brief

I photographed Villa Olivia in Paros, in the Cyclades, for Sotheby’s Greece. This series brings together the villa’s outdoor spaces, architecture and interiors, with the coast providing a wider sense of place. The emphasis is on how the house is experienced: moving between open terraces, sheltered seating and rooms connected to the light outside.

The photographic challenge

The character of the villa lies in the contrast between bright white surfaces and more tactile materials. Stone paving, exposed concrete ceilings, timber beams and reed shade all respond differently to daylight. The photographs needed to retain those distinctions while keeping the spaces clear and inviting.

Open doors and windows also connect the interiors to much brighter outdoor areas. Those transitions are central to the architecture, so the views through them matter as much as the furniture and finishes within each room.

My approach

I used the pool and courtyard views to introduce the relationship between the white volumes, stone surfaces and planted edges. The shaded dining area adds a more intimate perspective, with its long opening framing the sea and giving the terrace a clear orientation.

Inside, the sequence follows the connections between the kitchen, dining area and living spaces. Blue chairs, built-in seating and bookshelves provide points of colour and scale, while the concrete ceilings and stone floors remain part of the visual structure. Bedroom photographs continue this quieter register through white timber beams, simple furnishings and open terrace doors.

Throughout the series, I kept the compositions attentive to vertical lines, the depth between rooms and the balance of light across pale surfaces. The coastal sunset closes the collection with a broader view of the island setting.

The result

The finished series presents Villa Olivia through a connected set of exterior and interior photographs. Wide views establish the property’s spaces; closer perspectives reveal its materials and the places designed for sitting, dining and resting. Together, the images provide a considered visual introduction to the villa for a luxury property audience, with its setting in Paros clearly expressed.