OUR PLACE
Casa Mushidora is located in the heart of Athens, in a historic three-storey building dating back to 1936. The ground floor was used for a long time as summer-lodge, cellar and auxiliary room. We bought it in a neglected state, but its atmosphere and well-preserved materials inspired us to spend almost five years to fully restore it. Respecting its heritage form, we added modern touches (right down to its infrastructure) and turned it into a small urban oasis, introvert and quiet, ideal for relaxation, study, meditation and peaceful sleep. The apartment uses the SW part of a private courtyard/gardens
ABOUT US
Vangelis and Akrivi are visual artists, who live in Athens with their son Odysseus. Having a passion for architecture and design, they undertook the project of renovating this old heritage building. Their work pays tribute to its historical features, which are representative of Athenian architecture of the 1930s. Through careful restoration and innovative additions, seamlessly integrating current design concepts with vintage elements, they breathed new life into the space, ensuring that its original character remained intact, while infusing it with a refreshed, vibrant atmosphere.
ABOUT THE NAME
MUSIDORA is an ancient Greek female name meaning "the gifts of the Muses". The Scottish poet James Thomson wrote in 1727 his famous poem "Summer", which includes the following verse:
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For lo! conducted by the laughing Loves
This cool retreat his Musidora sought:
Warm in her cheek the sultry season glow'd
And, rob'd in loose array, she came to bathe
Her fervent limbs in the refreshing stream.
Based on this, Gainsborough painted between 1780-1788 a nude entitled "Musidora", while in 1843 William Etty painted his work "Musidora: The Bather 'At the Doubtful Breeze Alarmed' ". Finally, Musidora (aka Jeanne Roques) was a star of the French silent cinema, best known from Louis Feuillade's reputed films Les Vampires (1915) and Judex (1916).
Wishing to give a personal touch to this historical name, we added in the middle of the word an "h" (Mushidora) to suggest our beloved cat, Mushi. We hope that the ancient Greeks, as well as the late poet, painters and actress, will forgive our arbitrary action.