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Trigono Lamda - Greek Design

Shopping

On Pandrosou Street in Athens I found the following retailers from which I was able to purchase Quality items as Christmas presents.

Antiques & Commodities' Exchange - selling authentic antiques and collection pieces - 16, Kapnikareas Str., Plaka, Tel 30 210 4101511

Zeus - 15, Pandrosou Str. tel 0030 210 3318338 - selling Hand-made Greek Art, including ceramics, statues,oil paintings, Icons, silver, clothes, etc

ALEXANDER - 17, Pandrosou Str. Tel 0030 210 3221480 - Selling copies of Museum pieces - Hand made ceramics and bronze. This shop has an interesting range of 2010 hammered metal amd Murano glass charms, some featuring pomegranites which are a traditional fruit at new year celebrations.

More about Athens:

Athens, Plaka

Defining Greek Style

Classical Greek style building, Akadimias, in Athens Mention Greek style and two visions spring to mind, one is the Island style - blue for the sky and sea, white buildings and terracotta roof tiles. The other is classical Greek style - elegant, restrained, with fluted columns, white marble and statues of robed gods and goddesses.

There are also other associations. The rich and ornate Byzantine which spread through Europe in the middle ages and the rural vision of Olive groves, tethered goats, simple stone dwellings and vine-clad pergolas.

So Greek design is not a single style, and the following design sections aim to inspire a personal approach that achieves the required ambience, without losing what to me typifies Greece - beauty that seems (and often is) accidental; from nature that can be harsh in its simplicity yet gives the sense of peace and relaxation that one might expect afer a hard but rewarding day's work.

Buildings

Utilitarian concrete
 shops and apartments Most of us live in ordinary homes, often on estates or in apartment blocks. There may be limited opportunity to make our own statement, especially on the outside when building regulations may apply, but it's worth the effort to make our homes suit our lifestyle and reflect our own taste in design. An examination of the design elements of buildings can help find suitable style ideas.

Ornaments and artefacts

Hand-painted Greek blue and red ceramic plate Inside or out, Greek design offers ornaments, copies of ancient artefacts, and utility items that help to create the right atmosphere and add interest. You don't even have to travel to Greece to find them. Keep a look out in second-hand shops and at car boot sales, ask a friend to bring one from their travels or order online.

Note: It is illegal to take artefacts from Greece - this is one instance where fake (reproduction) is good! it is also surprising what the correct combination of colours can do to evoke the Mediterranean ambiance.

Patterns, Textures and Colours

 a colourful combination of baskets with table The famous Greek key design is just one of the geometric patterns associated with Greece. Marble is one of the materials providing pattern and texture; earthernware and woven canes provide a softer, more relaxed effect.

Blue and white are not the only colours! Black, beige and terracotta, is classical Greek colour compination and pPrimary colours are fun. Patterns don't have to be traditional and items don't have to be hand-made. There are many subtle ways to achieve the effect you wish for.

Outside spaces

You might have a window-sill, a wall with just enough space for a hanging basket, a balcony, courtyard, garden, grove or an entire farm. However much or little Outside space is available to you, these pages show that imagination means more than cash. The Greek lifestyle combines indoor and outdoor living, even in cities such as Athens where building space is at a premium and apartments are the norm. Patios can be practical and decorative. Balconies are often festooned with plants, especially vines and trailing forms of geranium, and carnation that spill over the railings in a torrent of colour.