Full immersion in tradition in the boutique hotel on the Greek island of Skiathos

The project by interior design firm Fotini Delagrammatica with support from architect Jamie Peel, which converted an old building on the beautiful Island of Skiathos, in Greece, into a sophisticated Boutique Hotel, springs from an unconventional creative approach where nothing was off-limits.

Skiathos Icon Hotel is a boutique hotel with a laid-back atmosphere emphasised by the neutral colours of the interiors. Light coloured furnishings and floor created with the Timeline collection of concrete-effect floor and wall tiles by Ceramica del Conca, in Beige. Timeline is the perfect aesthetic compromise between the plain, impersonal contemporary style and a simple, informal hospitality. In spite of the surface’s concrete-effect texture, the interior is warm and welcoming.

The living and sleeping areas are separated by bright walls of surprising depth, styled with the Frammenti collection by Ceramica Faetano. The size used is exquisite - 7.5x40 cm - just like the tiles of bygone days: the unevenly poured glaze forms a slightly rippled, three-dimensional surface with subtle shade variation. Whether installed vertical, horizontal or in a herringbone pattern, this small glossy porcelain stoneware brick always reflects the light intensely, for a vibrant effect of surprising depth.

The Frammenti brick, which completes the collection of Venetian terrazzo effect 20x20 tiles, is available in 8 pastel shades: Bianco, Grigio, Nero, Blu Notte, Rosa, Terracotta, Verde and Azzurro. In the Fotini Delagrammatica project the Bianco (white) brick tiles are installed vertically and parallel to each other with contrasting pink joints, a crucial design detail. Joints are normally filled in matching shades so that they are not noticeable, so this unusual choice gives the entire room a strongly individual character.

The interior designers’ stylistic approach celebrates tradition in a sophisticated dialogue with a modern architectural language. From the use of roof tiles, both with their typical terracotta finish and as a feature for creating original nightstands, to the choice of materials like local woods, marbles and fabrics and the characteristic dark blue colour combined with white, everything expresses the essence of a land rich in history and culture, cradle of modern civilisation. One of the project’s special features is its highlighting of the marble details of the floors, a specific reference to the traditional “Kalderimi”, sloping stones once used to drain rainwater from the island’s ancient roads.