ADF ‘In Praxis’ Interviews
Inside the luminously restored Patmos residence of fine art dealer
Edmondo di Robilant
On the island of Patmos, nestled in the deeper, more isolated currents of the Aegean, the interiority of domestic architecture safeguards privacy. Walking in Chora, the titular white walls deter the viewer's sight and only mere glimpses through a shy curtain or door reveal the splendid interiors. Athens Design Forum founder, Katerina Papanikolopoulos, speaks to Edmondo di Robilant, a partner of Robilant + Voena whose critically acclaimed exhibitions include shows on Antonio Joli, Gaspar van Wittel, and surveys of Italian artists such as Lucio Fontana and Agostino Bonalumi.
Edmondo di Robilant first arrived in Patmos as a guest in the mid-eighties, at a time when the island of St. John’s Apocalypse was still lesser-known. The remote charm of the secluded island prompted a twenty-five-year journey in sourcing the idyllic residence. Following ‘a dozen false starts’, Robilant discovered the storied Greek real estate – where proprietorial documentation is a crucial and strenuous element.
On your association with Patmos – from visitor to resident. How did you and your wife select the heritage home after originally seeking solely land?
“I had found this house in Chora with a great bone structure…it was partly 17th-century and partly 19th-century…it was in the right place, the right size and reasonably priced…my wife Maya and myself undertook a full restoration.”
On the restoration – what qualities did you choose to conserve?
“The restoration was luckily swift and without any hiccups…We reroofed, rewired, put in 3.5 bathrooms…moved the kitchen into the drawing room, changed the configuration of the bedrooms, made the guest bedroom out of the existing kitchen, and made sure that all rooms were en-suite. All of this whilst maintaining the traditional feel of the house and salvaging as much of the antique terracotta floors, beams, and floorboards as possible. We made the roof terraces accessible by incorporating new external stairs and gave the small garden and outside eating area a refresh. Basically, no two rooms remained the same as when we had purchased it. We had the help of a local homeowner, decorator, and restructurer who managed the project in six months, which was miraculous!”
On the sourcing of antiques - how does the interior of this home differ from your houses abroad? What essence stays the same? Does the selection reflect your family’s travels and history?
“We have tried to maintain a look that is typical and use patterns and images that reflect the geography of the place…the furnishings are a mixture of antique Greek beds and cupboards and tables left by the previous owner, now repainted and restored, alongside purchases from markets in Athens, paintings and works of art brought from our house in London or purchased in England…The gilded mirror came from an auction in London, the black-and-white charcoal drawing is by Teddy Millington Drake (the man who first came to the island with his companion John Stefanidis in the late 1950s…) The painted icon is of Saint Edmund and Saint Rose (his wife’s other name) and was made by a painter in Meteora…the Kos embroidered pillows came from Vaughan in London.”
On entertaining – supporting craft revitalization through Kusav’s Iznik reproductions
“We do entertain extensively at home – I would probably give one dinner for maybe 10 to 14 people a week when we are there and maybe have another couple for dinner once or twice a week as well…The Iznik-like plates that you see are from Kusav, a Turkish organisation headed by Cidem Simavi to help maintain artisanal traditions in Turkey.”
On the patience needed to source the idyllic residence
“Be extremely patient and thorough and eventually you will find something that suits your pocket and your style… Try to make sure that you have a responsible and reliable local person to help you oversee the building work…use a local architect who is au-fait with the vernacular [even if you want to use an outsider for the main project!]”
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The Patmos residence is available for rent - please forward inquiries to info@athensdesignforum.com
Images by Billal Baruk Taright – Courtesy Edmondo di Robilant