High above the streets of Athens, in a sun-drenched penthouse, Eva Papadaki has created a world that whispers of the island where she grew up. Here, time slows. Natural light drapes across the apartment, and every surface holds traces of her journey from the Aegean shores of her childhood to the pulse of the city beneath. It’s not just the eucalyptus in clay pots or the earthy-toned walls that evoke this feeling; it’s something deeper, more emotional. A quiet rhythm that moves through every material and object.
“I grew up in nature,” Eva shares. “In a house perched on a mountain, surrounded by olive trees, with views of the Libyan Sea.” Her grandparents lived next door, their garden heavy with lavender, oregano, and thyme. Bread was baked by hand, and tomatoes were eaten still warm from the vine. The scent of herbs would drift in with the breeze. She remembers chasing goats and walking barefoot outside, the earth warm beneath her feet.
“My upbringing on the island of Crete still lives within me. These raw, unfiltered elements shape who I am and naturally flow into everything I create. They’re what I crave, what I defend, and what I love. I always return to them.”
This return to essence is at the heart of 10AM Lofts, Eva’s vision for a creative refuge in Athens. The former industrial building is now home to a penthouse, four lofts, an event venue and a retail space for her brand, 10AM Apotheke. Its renovation stretched across eight years and was guided by one clear desire: to let the building breathe. “I didn’t want to erase its story,” Eva explains. “The process was challenging and, at times, painful,” she says. “However, I wanted people to walk in and feel like I had simply dusted it off and moved in.”
“My grandfather always said that true luxury lies in simplicity. That line never left me, and it’s reflected in how I approach every space I design. Nothing too much, nothing unnecessary. Just what feels honest.”
The influence of this philosophy is ever-present throughout the space, not in overt references but through texture, restraint, and an unwavering connection to nature. This is further echoed in her use of materials. “I mostly used what the building already had: metal, concrete, and wood,” she explains.
“My aim was to marry brutalism with earthy warmth and history. I wanted the space to tell a story, and when a story has a beginning, middle, and end—that’s where harmony often lies.”
This harmony plays out through contrast. Stark concrete softened with clay vessels. Exposed beams paired with textured linen. The space reflects a balance between structure and soul. For Eva, objects are not just decorative but deeply personal. “For years, I’ve been collecting pieces from all my travels, from markets in Athens and elsewhere, often without knowing where or how I’d use them,” she shares. “Each one holds a memory, a moment, an emotion.” She recalls a set of masks brought back from a flea market in Rio. “It was early morning and raining heavily. I didn’t have enough cash, so I ran through the rain with the dealer to find an ATM. It felt like chasing a love story—like claiming something precious.”
It’s this emotional connection that shapes her interiors. “I have a deep love for old objects because they’ve been loved by others before me. Filling a space with things that have been cherished is like filling it with love. You’re not just bringing in manufactured items—you’re bringing in warmth, soul, and history.”
“Comfort is about laying your soul bare. Comfort is discovering your own authenticity within the space you create. That’s what true sanctuary means to me.”
For Eva, this is why Ferm Living feels like such a natural fit. “The first feeling I had when I saw the Spring Summer 2025 Collection was a deep sense of calm and comfort,” Eva reveals. “I could immediately picture it throughout the space—the textures, the materials, the earthy tones. It felt as though it had always belonged here.”
“Ferm Living’s pieces don’t compete for attention. They belong. They speak softly, and that’s the kind of design I believe in.”
That ease is underpinned by a deep curiosity, one that extends far beyond aesthetics. “I’ve travelled a lot and spent time studying designers and political thinkers, understanding their connections and philosophies,” Eva says. “In a way, my home is a kind of puzzle, like imagining Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, and Charlotte Perriand together in their Parisian studio in the late 1920s and 30s. That sense of dialogue between objects and history, between people and ideas, is essential to me.”
Today, 10AM Lofts is more than a home; it’s a gathering point. A hub for creative exchange. A quiet celebration of culture and connection, inspired by the very island soil Eva once walked barefoot. For her, that is the true essence of design: not just something to look at, but something to live in. A space that gently invites you in and lets you stay awhile.
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