A stone house, drawn from a storybook.
Villa Elmalı is less a residence and more a feeling — one that stays with you long after arrival.
Set within a landscape where time moves slowly, the villa feels as though it has always belonged here. A stone house that appears almost drawn from a storybook, it does not impose itself on its surroundings. It rests within them, naturally and without effort.
Built from stones gathered one by one from the mountain village of Elmalı, the villa carries a sense of memory and place. Cedar eaves rise gently above honey-toned walls. Hand-carved oak and chestnut details bring warmth, while forged iron elements quietly complete the structure. Nothing seeks attention. Everything finds balance.
Crossing the threshold, the house opens gradually. High, beamed ceilings, an open-plan living and dining space, and a generous kitchen create an atmosphere that feels both spacious and intimate. References to Anatolian and Ottoman architecture are present, yet softened by a contemporary simplicity. Here, restraint becomes a form of luxury. Even the walls are part of the story. Finished with a traditional lime-and-straw plaster, the surfaces allow the house to breathe cool in summer, warm in winter reinforcing the villa’s timeless, grounded character.
Inside, a single-slab chestnut dining table and an oak coffee table carved from one solid piece speak to the patience of craftsmanship. Beneath them, gneiss stone floors catch the light with a subtle shimmer, their darker tones balancing the warmth of the wood. Every detail feels considered, never hurried.
Each bathroom has its own quiet identity. River pebbles from the Dalaman, fossil-rich stones from Elmalı and Gaziantep, and basins carved from solid natural rock turn these spaces into places of calm rather than routine.
On the lower level, a twin bedroom offers a more intimate, gently Ottoman character. Above, two master suites unfold as serene, protective spaces shaped by stone and timber, reflecting the hands and skill of the artisans behind Gökçe Gemile.
Outdoors, a fully private garden reveals a large swimming pool and water features formed from natural stone. The sound of flowing water becomes a constant, soothing presence. Time slows. Days unfold without urgency, guided by light, shade and silence.
Villa Elmalı was not created to impress. It exists to feel right - authentic, rooted, and quietly unforgettable.
This is not a place to observe nature, but to live within it.
Elmalı’s interiors feel composed rather than designed - a calm, tactile world of stone, timber and light. The living and dining space opens generously, softened by locally sourced natural fabrics and a quiet palette of neutral tones. Underfoot, sparkling gneiss slabs lend a subtle shimmer, while a fireplace carved from creamy Elmalı stone anchors the room with warmth. Double-aspect windows draw the garden into view, and an open-tread timber staircase rises with understated architectural grace.
The kitchen continues the villa’s restrained craftsmanship. Bespoke wooden cabinetry pairs with “absolute black” granite work surfaces, while a dramatic slab of polished Elmalı stone provides a luminous backdrop. Sliding doors open directly onto the garden, making meals feel effortless - moving easily between indoor calm and shaded outdoor dining.
The sleeping spaces carry the villa’s most distinctive details. The North Master Suite is defined by a vaulted ceiling with cedar and oak beams, and a suspended king-size bed crafted from a single piece of polished Elmalı stone - matched by bedside tables and a textured stone wall. The dressing area and generous shower room feature pebbled surfaces, a grand double basin hewn from metamorphic gneiss, and a monsoon shower. The South Master Suite echoes this quiet refinement with a handcrafted king-size wooden bed, seasoned chestnut feature wall, bespoke wardrobes, and a shower room with two metamorphic gneiss basins. A downstairs twin room with Ottoman-inspired character opens onto the garden, while the adjacent cloakroom-shower room adds a playful, artisanal touch - including an asymmetric oak mirror and a gneiss basin mounted on a tree trunk.
Bedrooms & Bathrooms
Climate, Safety & Comfort
Kitchen & Appliances
Practicalities & Extras
Elmalı’s garden is a woodland clearing shaped for slow days. A mature, shady carob tree offers a natural refuge for reading and quiet conversation, while bougainvillea, local shrubs and sun-warmed lawns bring colour and softness to the forest edge. A dining pergola sits as an easy centre of gravity - a place to linger over long meals in shade, accompanied by the gentle soundscape of cicadas and leaves moving in the breeze.
The pool area is both sculptural and deeply natural. A 125 m² saltwater infinity pool is entered by stone steps integrated into the surrounding rockery, giving the impression of water emerging from the land itself. Nearby, a family-sized spa pool / hot tub lined with pebbles invites unhurried evenings. Paths, terraces and pool surrounds are laid with ochre and grey slabs of Bodrum Ayrak stone, grounding the outdoor spaces in the same honest material language as the villa.
Bordered by pine forest, and accompanied by the calming sound of cascading water, the garden holds a rare kind of privacy - not engineered, but granted. It is a setting for morning swims, shaded lunches, and nights where the air cools and the forest becomes still.
Water & Garden Living
Access & Nature
Sports & Activities
Practicalities
Occupancy & General Guidelines
Smoking Policy
As in much of the Mediterranean, fire risk is significant during the dry summer months. For this reason, a strict smoking policy applies throughout the estate:
A Mediterranean Architectural Masterpiece
A stone house, drawn from a storybook.
A sanctuary shaped by art, stone, and silence.
A private island–style estate, entirely your own.
