Villa Stella

The brief

I photographed Villa Stella in Porto Heli, in the Peloponnese, Greece, for Engel & Völkers Greece. The property brings together white plaster, textured stone, terracotta roofs and pale blue shutters, with gardens and terraces opening towards the sea. The commission called for a coherent presentation of the villa, from its setting and architecture to the more intimate character of its interiors. My aim was to show these elements through their relationships, balancing a clear understanding of the spaces with the atmosphere of life around the pool and terraces.

The photographic challenge

Villa Stella has a layered arrangement of rooms, courtyards and outdoor spaces. White arches frame views between them, while stone columns and covered terraces create a rhythm of light and shade. The photographs needed to make this arrangement readable without flattening the depth or texture that gives the property its character.

Inside, the blue and white palette connects the living rooms and bedrooms, but each space has its own details. Exposed timber ceilings, stone floors, painted cabinetry and dark wooden furniture required careful attention to colour and perspective. Open doors and windows also introduced bright exterior light. After dark, the balance shifted towards the illuminated stonework, warm terrace lighting and vivid blue pool, calling for a different treatment of the same architecture.

My approach

The collection opens with the elevated night photograph of the villa and pool. This view brings the illuminated arches, dining pavilion and upper terraces into one composition. Daylight aerial photographs then establish the building within its gardens, while the overhead view explains the relationship between the roofs, paths and pool.

At ground level, I followed the progression from the pool terrace to the covered pavilion and upper outdoor spaces. Stone arches and white openings provide natural frames, allowing the viewer to move between shaded seating, sun loungers, planted borders and sea views. Wider compositions describe the scale of the terraces; closer views retain the wicker textures, flowers and blue shutters that soften the architecture.

The interior sequence begins in the living room, where open French doors connect the blue and white seating with the stone colonnade and sea beyond. A second view shows the fireplace and adjoining sitting area. From there, the arch and steps lead into the kitchen and dining room, where pale cabinetry and wooden worktops contrast with the dark timber table and hanging lanterns.

The bedrooms introduce a quieter scale, from the exposed blue ceiling and woven wall decorations to the canopy bed and adjacent sitting area. A white interior detail and the turquoise tiled bathroom extend the colour story without interrupting the sequence. Evening photographs return to the pool and living spaces before closing with candlelit outdoor dining and the illuminated pool steps. These views show how lighting changes the experience of the terraces while keeping their architectural relationships clear.

The result

The 26-photograph collection presents Villa Stella through architecture, interiors, gardens and aerial views, with daylight and evening offering complementary impressions. It gives Engel & Völkers Greece a consistent visual portrait that communicates the property’s setting, spatial connections and individual details. The emphasis remains on accurate geometry, natural colour and atmosphere: a considered presentation of a luxury villa in Porto Heli.