You open the door to your DARIA villa in Florida. Instead of the usual vacation home furnishings, a world full of design highlights, hand-picked furniture and thoughtful details awaits you. This is exactly the vision that we at DARIA have now turned into reality with our first villas in Cape Coral!
The The creative force behind this special atmosphere is Viktoria Rahlf. With a lot of passion and an unmistakable flair for exceptional design, she transforms our villas into real oases of well-being. "In America, vacation homes often look the same - the same beds, the same pictures, the same lamps," says Victoria and laughs. "That wasn't an option for us. We wanted to create something that would take our guests' breath away!"
And that is exactly what we have achieved: The first visitors are downright enchanted by the unique atmosphere. "Wow, we don't want to leave!" is the most common reaction when guests enter the villa for the first time. They enthusiastically discover every detail and can hardly believe that they have found something so special in America.
From dentist to design expert
When you see Viktoria today guiding you through our DARIA villas, her eyes light up and she enthusiastically explains every detail, you would never guess that she had taken a completely different path in the past. In fact, she spent 14 successful years as a dentist! "I had achieved everything in my profession," she says, "but deep down I felt there was so much more I wanted to create."
Viktoria has always had a special connection to the world of building and design. Through the family construction business, she gained valuable experience that benefits her today. "It was my secret passion alongside my dental practice, so to speak," she reveals.
"We built houses for people - and I learned how to turn dreams into reality."
Viktoria threw herself into her new vocation with full commitment. She traveled to the world's most important furniture fairs, such as the legendary Salone del Mobile in Milan. She visited the most elegant penthouses in Manhattan and the most exclusive villas in Los Angeles.
"I wanted to soak up everything, learn everything there is to know about first-class design," she enthuses.
The vision: Why your vacation with us will be different
Do you know this? You walk into a vacation home and everything looks kind of ordinary? At DARIA, we wanted to take a different approach right from the start.
"We work with people who, like us, only want the best and give their all to achieve it," says Victoria with palpable enthusiasm.
A vision that you can feel in every detail of our villas.
The big question was: How do we create something truly unique in a market full of standard solutions? We found the answer in Europe. "We decided to bring the most beautiful furniture, the most exciting accessories and the most innovative lighting from Europe's best designers to America," Viktoria reveals. "Everyone thought we were crazy at first - but sometimes you have to be crazy to create something extraordinary!"
The result? Pure magic! "When you enter one of our villas, you immediately see the difference," enthuses Viktoria. "You won't find mass-produced goods here, but select designer pieces that you won't find in America." But it's about much more than just beautiful furniture. Every detail has been chosen so that you feel completely at ease from the very first moment. Here you can relax, recharge your batteries and leave everyday life behind you.
And that's just the beginning! Viktoria is bursting with ideas for the future. "At the moment, our villas are very modern, but imagine how beautiful a classic American colonial style could be!" she enthuses. "With elegant columns and ornate crowns, inspired by the timeless style of a Ralph Lauren Home. The possibilities are endless!"
One thing always remains the same: our promise to you - quality that you can see and feel, beauty that enchants you and a vacation experience that makes you happy.
The path to the perfect furnishing concept
But how do you choose the perfect pieces of furniture for your future DARIA villa? "It's a huge responsibility," says Viktoria. "But that's exactly the challenge I love!"
Imagine you want to buy a new piece of furniture. What are you looking for? The style? The color? For us, many more factors go into the decision. "Florida is unique - and that has to be reflected in the furniture," explains Viktoria. "What looks perfect in a New York penthouse might not suit the relaxed lifestyle here."
We work with the hottest European premium manufacturerswhich launches new, exciting collections every year, developed by the best designers in Europe. In two years' time, this collection will be history again.
To keep her finger on the pulse, Viktoria regularly travels to the world's most important furniture fairs, such as the legendary Salone del Mobile in Milan. "These trade fair visits are like an inspiration filling station," she laughs. "I always come back with a head full of new ideas!"
But the journey from selection to finished furnishings? Sometimes it's a bit of an adventure! Just imagine, all this beautiful furniture first has to find its way across the Atlantic. The journey by ship alone takes two weeks. Once they arrive in Cape Coral, the treasures wait in our warehouse until the villa can be furnished.
"Of course, we don't want our guests to notice all these logistical challenges," winks Viktoria. "When you enter your villa for the first time, all you see is the perfect end result. We just want you to feel comfortable and enjoy yourself!"
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He is a communications expert (Master of Arts) with 16 years of experience in copywriting and marketing. Starting out as a local reporter, he still works as a freelance journalist for numerous magazines and newspapers. As a copywriter, his passion is to get to the heart of communication emotionally and clearly.
Wow the article about Viktoria is great and hits the nail on the head. I am very lucky to know Viktoria personally and I know that she is not satisfied with a detail or a piece of furniture until it is perfect. For Viktoria, perfection means everything and at the same time she puts so much attention to detail into everything!
I'm looking forward to our February stay in one of the villas. We were allowed to see it once when it was already fully furnished! It was a dream and incredibly cozy at the same time. Thank you very much