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Every traveller has a holiday destination of which they just can’t get enough, be it the vibrant and buzzing Ibiza, the rolling hills in bucolic Italy, or any number of dreamy landscapes across the globe. For Daphné Keiffer, that was the white sands and rugged coastlines of Greece.
Coaxed back to the shores of the Cycladic Islands year after year, Daphné shared her love for this region’s turquoise waters, hilly landscapes, and lively culture with her husband, Clément Pouget. It was love at first sight, and the couple decided to plant roots among the olive trees of Sifnos.
Come with us to discover Villa Avlaki alongside Daphné and Clément, an immaculate ode to family, their love for the area and their travels throughout the world.
And, for all our very best tips and addresses across the Cyclades, don't miss our exclusive Le Collectionist guide to Mykonos or our exclusive guide to Paros.
Neither Daphné nor Clément had experience in real estate before bringing their Villa Avlaki dream to light. Clément is an entrepreneur in the tech ecosystem, while Daphné is a physiotherapist. However, she has always had a passion for interior design and architecture, leading her to stockpile the couple’s home near Paris with decorative pieces amassed throughout their travels.
Perched in the hills of Sifnos, Villa Avlaki is a reflection of this passion. The couple had been on the hunt for a real estate venture when they vacationed in Sifnos with Daphné’s family, and out of curiosity, they investigated the market on this serene island, drawn to the calm and unspoilt atmosphere where exceptional homes sit flush in the cliffs.
Their preliminary searches online confirmed that this island would be their next home, but they have a serendipitous encounter to thank for finding Villa Avlaki. Wandering the rugged cliffside paths, they spotted a home that had made their shortlist online. Smitten by the natural environment, where four walls gave way to a staggering view of the Aegean Sea and neighbouring islands off in the distance, they planned a visit for the next day.
Within the next few days, Villa Avlaki was theirs. The only home they visited, it was an amalgamation of everything they loved about Sifnos. Villa Avlaki seemed to tame the elements into osmosis: sitting up on the cliffs overlooking the sea, the chromatic stone walls stand fiercely against the Cycladic wind, softened by the pergolas from which you can watch the fiery sunset dive into the painted waters.
Though the Villa Avlaki Daphné and Clément fell in love with had promise, there was still work to be done finishing the home. The couple took it upon themselves to design the home, drawing up plans on PowerPoint with some advice from the team of local builders. Drawing harmonious yet simple shapes, they combined the two buildings on the property into one unified structure, perfect for welcoming families and friends.
When decorating the interior, Daphné was left to run wild and fully give into her passion for interior design and beautiful spaces. The driving goal was to create a warm and comfortable space, something that felt authentic and lived in, not merely a rental devoid of heart. To achieve this, the couple started from a traditionally Cycladic base of immaculate white interiors and natural materials, which they then sublimated with international art and decoration amassed throughout their travels.
This started as early as their honeymoon. Daphné and Clément already knew that they would be buying a home when they travelled to Mexico after their wedding, and with Daphné’s eye for design, they were able to hit the ground running and start gathering unique pieces for their home. Daphné has always loved thrifting and combing through markets to find rare, beautiful, and authentic creations, so with an empty home to furnish, she was able to indulge without limits.
In Mexico, she found a variety of vibrant crosses, now hung over the beds at Villa Avlaki as good luck charms to protect guests. The rugs were also imported from Mexico, adding a naturalistic flair to the space that complements the unspoilt Sifnos setting. With a love for ethnic art, Daphné also bought pieces from Studio Ebur, an art studio run by a Lebanese and Ivorian friend, like the coffee table and decor in the hallway. With low wooden chairs from the Ivory Coast and urns found in a Moroccan souk, the interior design blends multiple cultural influences into a harmonious decor, where light and colour reign.
While gathering these pieces, Daphné had an innate sense of where each item would go in the house and how they would work together. In addition, she felt that each item was more beautiful with an assigned seat of honour in the home, and in turn the home was all the more beautiful for the items that filled it. What’s more, the pieces that populate Villa Avlaki now remind her and Clément of the trips they took together, giving them a personal feeling in an otherwise anonymous decor.
Now, Villa Avlaki represents a fresh entrepreneurial adventure for the couple, taking a step together in a new direction. Every morning, they wake up and manage the home together before setting out for their separate days. Villa Avlaki is intimately linked to family, as late family members were an essential part of bringing this venture to life, where other generations can now gather together. In fact, both Daphné and her sister were pregnant when the home was completed, marking this home as a bridge between generations.
Villa Avlaki is the culmination of Clément and Daphné’s entrepreneurial spirit, eye for design, and attention for family. It reunites both the best of Sifnos, with a breathtaking view over the cove of Avlaki and the Aegean Sea, and beautiful craftsmanship from around the world. Here, you can just as easily stay in to make memories with your family in an exceptional setting as you can discover the town of Castro nearby, with cobbled flowering streets. Come to Villa Avlaki for an authentic experience under the blazing Greek sun, surrounded by those you love.
