July 16, 2026 | DESIGN & INTERIORS
CALIFORNIA,
with a MEDITERRANEAN SOUL
words Noah Mercer
photos Yoshihiro Makino
styling Emily Bowser
production Karine Monié
On a quiet, palm-lined street in Santa Monica, Ilios feels less like a California house than a home shaped by Mediterranean memory. Designed by Hatch Architecture, it channels its owners' Greek and Armenian heritage through atmosphere rather than literal references.
Originally built in 1989, the house already possessed a few defining architectural elements, including a central circulation spine and a double-height atrium. Rather than erase them, architect Christopher Hatch McLeanreinterpreted the existing structure, stripping away unnecessary partitions and awkward geometries to reveal a clearer, more fluid sequence of spaces. The home's new identity is rooted in simplicity—not minimalism as an aesthetic, but as a way of allowing architecture and everyday rituals to breathe.
LIGHT AS ARCHITECTURE
At its centre sits the project's defining gesture: an elliptical oculus skylight that turns the changing sky into the home's quiet protagonist. Positioned above the central spine, it washes the interiors with shifting tones throughout the day—from soft, marine-filtered mornings to warm amber sunsets before settling into deep evening blue. More than a skylight, it acts as a living clock, connecting the rhythms of the house to those of nature.
This luminous axis also functions as a gallery, where contemporary Greek and Armenian artworks accompany movement through the home. Gentle curves replace rigid corridors, recalling the softened forms of Cycladic architecture without becoming nostalgic. Even the original staircase has been transformed into a sculptural white form that naturally draws the eye upwards.
A SOFTER LANGUAGE
That same sense of restraint extends to the material palette. Layered whites, pale woods and warm neutrals capture and diffuse California's abundant daylight, while bronze and black accents provide quiet definition. In the kitchen, Bofficabinetry pairs with Gaggenau appliances, balancing understated craftsmanship with everyday functionality. In the living room, a Flos Overlap pendant hangs above a Steinway piano, while a Greek antique coffee table introduces a subtle reminder of the family's heritage.
Stone brings another layer of permanence. Satin-finished Volakas marble and Calacatta surfaces lend the interiors a quiet sense of weight, particularly in the primary suite, conceived as a private retreat with spa-like calm. Dornbracht's Vaia fittings, oversized Poliform wardrobes and handcrafted timber bathing stools complete a space where comfort is expressed through restraint rather than excess.
LIVING BETWEEN INSIDE AND OUT
Designed for gathering as much as for retreat, the kitchen opens naturally onto expansive dining and outdoor living areas through oversized pivot doors and fully pocketing glass walls. A Tekio paper lantern by Santa & Cole anchors the dining room with a soft, diffused glow, while Mediterranean planting—including sculptural specimens supplied by Plant Daddies—extends the interiors into lush gardens beyond. As the boundaries between inside and outside quietly dissolve, the house embraces California's relaxed way of living while remaining unmistakably Mediterranean in spirit.
