When Loucas Kleanthous moved to Greece after launching his career as a Canadian fashion designer in Toronto nearly 40 years ago, he settled on the ruggedly beautiful island of Santorini, where he eventually purchased a 16th-century winery that today is his permanent residence. Nestled in the verdant valley of Megalochori, with views of mountains and the sea, the property is spread over three buildings, two of them used as guest houses and the third a sunlit 4,000-square-foot private home that Kleanthous shares with a multitude of stray cats for whom the domed-roofed dwelling is as much a sanctuary as it is for him. Guided by his celebrated eye for colour and pattern, the 59-year-old native of Cyprus renovated the interior himself, decorating it with pieces borrowed from his past homes in Toronto, London and Athens, where, until recently, he worked as the style director of Anna Riska, a chain of Greek women's fashion stores. His home also has furniture sourced from Earhart, his chic Santorini boutique, where he sells clothing, jewellery and home decor. He put his favourite pieces in his living room, where he likes to relax after swimming in his outdoor pool. "It has very nice proportions," Kleanthous says.
The painting "That's a Tony Scherman; it was a birthday gift from him for my 50th. I spend all my birthdays in Toronto. It's a bird made of encaustic on paper. It's one of the few paintings I brought from my house in Athens to this one. I was really picky about what I would bring."
The fireplace "I did the fireplace; I found these tiles in Athens at a salvage company. They are 19th century. They look a bit art deco, and the colour is strong enough to hold its own against the carpet. I like how they fight each other for attention."
The rug "It is a modern design of an Afghani kilim, a natural dye on wool. I sell them in my shop. I think every room needs some red."
The cushions "They are made by the cushion designer Mary Jane McCarty in the U.S. She's been a friend of mine since we were both in class together at George Brown in Toronto, studying fashion. She gave me most of them."
The lamp "I bought it at the Salvation Army in Toronto 35 years ago. This lamp has been with me at so many of my houses around the world. I was a student when I got it."
The table "It's Moroccan. I got it at my shop. I love all the patterns together. I really wanted to have a very happy sitting room, and so mixed a lot of pattern and a lot of colour. The front of the house is all glass and faces the pool and palm trees so there's a lot of greenery, which is why seeing colour in the room is interesting."
The books "I have many books all over the house. Most are archeology books or books relating to interiors."
The door "The outline is a limewash in a blue colour. The door is original to the house – it used to be the entrance door. When I changed the house around I used the main entrance as a door to the bedroom. It's in the neoclassical style and made of wood and iron."
The armoire "It came from a grocery store. I think it's 18th century. They kept barley and wheat in there. It's split in half with drawers at the bottom. I can't really store anything in it. But that's okay: It's got a beautiful patina."
The pottery "I have a collection of old Greek terracotta pots. I use them for branches. I get them at different antique fairs in Greece. Most of them are 19th century."
The chairs "This is a pair of Chinese hunting chairs; I bought them in China. When working for Anna Riska on the mainland, I went to China several times a year. I bought them in an antique shop."