About Villa Meraki
Meraki (μεράκι) is a Greek word often used to describe doing something with soul, creativity and love — leaving a little piece of yourself in what you create.
That feeling sits at the heart of Villa Meraki.
Villa Meraki is not one single thing. It is a space where women, community, creativity, nature and conscious living meet.
A place to gather.
A place to learn.
A place to celebrate.
A place to slow down.
A place to come back to yourself.
From workshops, craft workshops, celebrating the seasons, women’s circles, pregnancy, motherhood to, Mother Blessings, and longer journeys together, our work is about creating spaces where everyone can feel supported, informed and connected.
And as Villa Meraki grows, so will what lives within it — clothing, natural body care, carefully chosen products and things created simply because we believe they deserve to exist.
THE BRAND
Villa Meraki grew from a love for bringing people together and creating things with meaning.
We believe wellbeing does not have to be clinical, complicated or perfect. Sometimes it looks like learning about your body. Sometimes it is sitting around a fire with other women. Sometimes it is preparing for birth, being cared for after it, making something with your hands, growing something in the garden or simply having somewhere you feel welcome.
We are drawn to old traditions and modern knowledge in equal measure — taking inspiration from nature, science, art, ancestral practices and the experiences women have carried between generations.
We also believe in consuming differently.
The most sustainable product is the one that already exists.
That idea has been part of our story from the beginning. We value what can be reused, repaired, passed on, made slowly and chosen intentionally. When we create or offer something new, we want there to be a reason for it.
Villa Meraki is our attempt to bring all of those ideas under one roof.
THE VISION
Our vision is to create a modern community centred around wellbeing, connection and conscious living.
We want to create spaces where conversations about menstruation, fertility, pregnancy, birth, motherhood, loss, ageing and the female body can happen openly and without shame.
We want women to have access to knowledge about their bodies while also having room for intuition, ritual, creativity and community.
Through doula support, Mother Blessings, women’s circles, workshops, gatherings and our longer six-month journeys, we hope to create experiences that people carry with them long after they leave.
And this is only the beginning.
Villa Meraki is designed to evolve — into gatherings, education, retreats, products, clothing, body care and whatever else naturally grows from the community around it.
THE TEAM
Villa Meraki is built by Kira and Manuel, but we never imagined doing everything alone. We love working with people who bring their own knowledge, craft and perspective — from nurses, doulas, midwifes and other health professionals to artists, makers, facilitators and people simply doing something they deeply care about.
Collaboration keeps Villa Meraki growing, changing and full of new ideas.
KIRA PRECHTL
Founder
Kira grew up in Germany and went to a Rudolf Steiner school, where creativity, curiosity and learning through doing were a natural part of everyday life. That probably explains why she has never been particularly good at sticking to just one thing.
She is a nurse, a doula in training, a maker, a gardener, a lifelong learner and someone who will happily move between science, women’s health, painting, building something with her hands and disappearing into a new subject simply because it fascinates her.
People who know Kira know that when she truly puts her mind to something, she usually finds a way to make it happen — not because everything comes easily, but because she is curious enough to learn and stubborn enough to keep going.
Sustainable living has long been part of how she sees the world: making more with what we already have, wasting less, learning old skills and being thoughtful about what we bring into our lives.
And while nursing remains an important part of who she is, Kira strongly believes that having a professional career doesn’t mean putting the other parts of yourself aside. There should still be room to create, explore, change direction and pursue the things that make you feel alive.
Villa Meraki grew from exactly that idea.
MANUEL KANDAPPASSERY
Creative Director
Manuel is a nurse, entrepreneur and endlessly curious mind with a particular interest in healthcare, technology and turning ideas into real projects.
Where Kira might arrive with a new idea, Manuel is often the person asking, “Okay, so how do we actually make this happen?” He brings the practical, business and healthcare side to Villa Meraki while sharing the same belief that life doesn’t have to fit neatly into one profession or one path.
Together, we are building Villa Meraki slowly — learning as we go, collaborating with interesting people and allowing it to become something that reflects the way we actually want to live.I especially like the “not because everything comes easily…” part for you. It communicates the she can do anything idea without claiming you’re naturally brilliant at everything; it makes it about curiosity, learning and persistence instead.
Frequently Asked Questions.
Villa Meraki is a women-centred wellbeing and community project offering doula support, Mother Blessings, women’s circles, gatherings, workshops and longer journeys through pregnancy, birth and motherhood.
It is also a growing creative home for conscious products, clothing and body care.
No. Pregnancy and motherhood are an important part of our work, but Villa Meraki is about women through many different stages of life, including miscarriage, abortion, menopause, separation and all imaginable life changes.
Some gatherings are specifically designed for pregnancy or motherhood, while others are simply spaces for women to meet, connect and spend time together.
A doula provides non-medical emotional, practical and informational support through pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period.
The approach is not about telling you how to give birth. It is about helping you feel informed, supported and heard while you make the decisions that are right for you.
A Mother Blessing is an intimate gathering centred around the mother before birth.
Rather than focusing mainly on presents for the baby, the gathering celebrates and supports the woman herself through connection, meaningful rituals, creativity and time together.
Every Mother Blessing can be shaped around the individual woman, and this can either happen in a small circle or if the women wished she can invite her closest allies to take part in blessing her and witnessing the transition from women to mother.
Not at all.
Villa Meraki takes inspiration from ritual, nature and traditions from different cultures, but there is no belief system you need to follow.
Take what resonates with you and leave what doesn’t.
The six-month journey is a more intimate experience for a small group of women moving through pregnancy, miscariage and early motherhood together.
Across regular gatherings, we explore pregnancy, birth preparation, the body, relaxation, motherhood, postnatal wellbeing, baby care, movement, creativity and community. The groups are small and intimate and women are grouped according to their stages of women hood.
Most importantly, it gives women time to actually get to know one another and finding their village to move through life together and feel less isolated within their journey.
Villa Meraki is based in South West London, with many of our smaller circles, workshops and gatherings taking place in an intimate home and garden setting.
Locations for individual events are provided when booking.