Walking into a Studio Bonarchi space is like entering a dreamlike, airy womb—one that undulates and wraps around you as you move through it. White plaster walls, expansive open windows with natural light pouring in, and minimalist yet inviting furniture beckon visitors into a haven of serenity.
Vangelis Bonios, the founder and lead designer behind Studio Bonarchi, speaks about his projects as if they were fairytales—each one a fantasy, a highly considered, perfectly arranged dream come to life. Everything Bonios creates is the physical manifestation of what he describes as a combination of imagination, practicality, and beauty—it is storytelling told through design.
His latest space, the Anandes Hotel in Mykonos, is perched atop a hill directly overlooking the quaint island town below. Encapsulating the epitome of the Studio Bonarchi ethos, the hotel is intrinsically chic—in the truest sense of the word. Organically curved, white-plaster walls emblematic of what Bonios describes as “the Cycladic idiom,” dark wood floors, curved velvet couches, and minimalist mid-century furniture line the room. Artwork from hotel owner Karim El Chiaty’s personal collection dots the space—including pieces from Richard Serra and Thomas Houseago.
A stark contrast to the overwhelmingly bright blue skies outside, the cool interiors of Bonios’s lobby serve as a respite from the elements, whether that’s the beaming sun or the bustle of tourists in the town below. Alongside light fixtures from French sculptor and artist Philippe Anthonioz, two curved sofas by Pierre Augustin Rose are flanked by a handmade Demeter coffee table from the French duo Gilles & Boissier. Meanwhile, a Beaune lamp by Thierry Lemaire hangs above, with a Fingi light sculpture by Eric Schmitt illuminating the reception desk. This is all to say: this is not your average Mykonos.
Still, the island’s landscape is nothing short of breathtaking—there's the rustic pebble beaches met with azure waters, the harsh, arid rocky mountains, and the sunsets that are beautiful enough to put any stock photo screensaver to shame.
There was once a vision of Mykonos that attracted celebrities like Jacqueline Kennedy, Brigitte Bardot, Elizabeth Taylor, and Grace Kelly; aristocrats like shipping heir Aristotle Onassis; and the culturally-versed international set who wanted a non-conformist, open-minded place to holiday. Anandes is a testament to that: a nostalgic love letter to a version of Mykonos past, and an attempt to bring this vintage lore back to life.
As a designer who wears his Greek heritage proudly on his sleeve, Bonios is always looking to his own country’s history for reference, whether it’s classical or more contemporary. The principles of ancient Greece, emphasizing harmony and balance in design, serve as the lynchpin of Studio Bonarchi interiors. For his projects, Bonios implements what he describes as a “design vocabulary that stands in between two worlds, the Greek world and the contemporary international scene of interiors.” One eye toward the classics and one to the future is also the secret to what makes his interiors timeless.
Interestingly, the popular “quiet luxury” fashion trend is only now catching up to what Bonios has authentically been doing all along: one-of-a-kind, handwrought furnishings, understated yet incredibly luxurious materials and fabrics, and decorative elements that would be equally at home in a gallery. “We always search for beauty, harmony, and perfect shapes,” says Bonios. And of Anandes, he adds, “There was a need for a contrast—a need for a new kind of expression of what beauty or elegance means in this island.”
