Mrs. B. wanted to be in the Polis area, and ideally in the village of Argaka, famous for its orange groves and stunning views of the Akamas Peninsula.

Mrs. B also knew that she did not want to look at houses on developments - she wanted an individual property in 'local' surroundings, where she could have an input into the design.

Because of our close relationship with the builders we work with on a regular basis, David Newton knew of a 1 donum (1338m2) plot at Argaka which was close to the village, but which had a superb open aspect giving it wonderful views of the hills and the sea. The residential zoning meant that the land could have had four or even more townhouses built on it, but we agreed with the builders that only two detached houses would be built, giving each owner a much larger plot (over 6oo sqm.) than they would get on a development, but at a comparable cost and with a 'tailor made' design.

To make the most of the superb sea views, we came up with a traditional bungalow design with a flat roof, so that part of it could become a roof garden, with access via external steps and also a spiral staircase from the pool area. However, the original design was too wide for the plot, so we worked with Mrs. B. to alter the room layout without reducing the floor area.

Mrs. B. was delighted, and building commenced. Due to her busy schedule with her business in the UK, David Newton liaised with the developers throughout the build period, sending Mrs. B. regular photographic updates by email. When it came to the furnishing stage, he even sent dozens of photos of curtain samples, much to the amusement of the store staff, who couldn't believe that our service went that far!

If you want to rent this villa for a dream holiday, or rent Mrs B's apartment in Paphos, please visit http://www.essentiallycyprus.com