Photographs by Ioanna Roufopoulou
This spa-like abode lays in the Greek region Attica, where Athens is located. Attica is a peninsula that stretches from the south-west coast of mainland Greece out into the Aegean Sea. While the capital city is decidedly dense and urban, the sprawling coastlines revel in mountain vistas and expanses of impossibly green olive trees.
It was along a portion of the latter that Aris Konstantinidis designed this home in the 1960s. Konstantinidis is long heralded as the father of Greek architectural modernism. The Germany’s Bauhaus movement, which rejected embellishment of any kind, influenced the home’s design. The building’s simple stacked stone walls, and fenestration perfectly embrace the rugged seascape. It also seemingly has stood the test of time. That is, until you step inside.
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Photographs by Ioanna Roufopoulou
With views to the Aegean Sea and mountains beyond, this Greek residence is an oasis of calm. The swimming pool enhances the spa-like setting. Stone flooring was used for pool decking and patios.
Photographs by Ioanna Roufopoulou
With views to the Aegean Sea and mountains beyond, this Greek residence is an oasis of calm. The swimming pool enhances the spa-like setting. Stone flooring was used for pool decking and patios.
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Photographs by Ioanna Roufopoulou
In the living room, floor coverings from
Gan Rugs complement the
Sits green sofa and Frigerio coffee table.
Photographs by Ioanna Roufopoulou
In the living room, floor coverings from
Gan Rugs complement the
Sits green sofa and Frigerio coffee table.
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Photographs by Ioanna Roufopoulou
Modernist architect Aris Konstantinidis used stacked stone walls to imbue the structure he designed in the 1960s with a fortress-like sense of security.
Photographs by Ioanna Roufopoulou
Modernist architect Aris Konstantinidis used stacked stone walls to imbue the structure he designed in the 1960s with a fortress-like sense of security.
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Photographs by Ioanna Roufopoulou
In the outdoor dining area, Bitta host chairs and Stampa metal side chairs surround Vieques tables by Patricia Urqioloa, all from
Kettal.
Photographs by Ioanna Roufopoulou
In the outdoor dining area, Bitta host chairs and Stampa metal side chairs surround Vieques tables by Patricia Urqioloa, all from
Kettal.
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Photographs by Ioanna Roufopoulou
Stone elements in the powder room are in keeping with the overall design.
Photographs by Ioanna Roufopoulou
Stone elements in the powder room are in keeping with the overall design.
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Photographs by Ioanna Roufopoulou
Xynogala designed the oak kitchen cabinets fashioned by a local artisan; the island is Greek marble.
Photographs by Ioanna Roufopoulou
Xynogala designed the oak kitchen cabinets fashioned by a local artisan; the island is Greek marble.
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Photographs by Ioanna Roufopoulou
Xynogala also designed the wood dining room table.
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Photographs by Ioanna Roufopoulou
In the master suite, a local artisan crafted the sinks with marble from Kavala.
Photographs by Ioanna Roufopoulou
In the master suite, a local artisan crafted the sinks with marble from Kavala.
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Photographs by Ioanna Roufopoulou
Xynogala designed the metal partition that separates the bathroom from the sleeping area as well as the headboard upholstered with fabric from
Scapa Home. Hanging lights are by
Hind Rabii.
Photographs by Ioanna Roufopoulou
Xynogala designed the metal partition that separates the bathroom from the sleeping area as well as the headboard upholstered with fabric from
Scapa Home. Hanging lights are by
Hind Rabii.
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Photographs by Ioanna Roufopoulou
A gray bed cover and pillows from
Scapa Home in the master bedroom are a soft contrast to the home’s heavily textured stone walls.
Photographs by Ioanna Roufopoulou
A gray bed cover and pillows from
Scapa Home in the master bedroom are a soft contrast to the home’s heavily textured stone walls.
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Photographs by Ioanna Roufopoulou
The kitchen and master suite open to an outdoor living room outfitted with
Kettal seating and tables.
Photographs by Ioanna Roufopoulou
The kitchen and master suite open to an outdoor living room outfitted with
Kettal seating and tables.
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Photographs by Ioanna Roufopoulou
Photographs by Ioanna Roufopoulou
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Photographs by Ioanna Roufopoulou
In the hallway the contemporary metal shelving and lighting are from
Mogg.
Photographs by Ioanna Roufopoulou
In the hallway the contemporary metal shelving and lighting are from
Mogg.
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Photographs by Ioanna Roufopoulou
Lighting from
Mogg illuminates the stairwell.
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Photographs by Ioanna Roufopoulou
Oak floors run through the lower level, where a round steel
Blunt dining table and
Sits chairs provide a place for casual meals and sampling wine from the adjacent wine cellar.
Photographs by Ioanna Roufopoulou
Oak floors run through the lower level, where a round steel
Blunt dining table and
Sits chairs provide a place for casual meals and sampling wine from the adjacent wine cellar.
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Photographs by Ioanna Roufopoulou
Oak bookcases anchor a sitting area that includes a
Sits sofa, a stone-and-oak Columbus coffee table, and stools from
Pomax.
Photographs by Ioanna Roufopoulou
Oak bookcases anchor a sitting area that includes a
Sits sofa, a stone-and-oak Columbus coffee table, and stools from
Pomax.
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Photographs by Joanna Roufopoulou
The prevailing grays and browns in the stonework anchor the property to its surroundings.
Photographs by Joanna Roufopoulou
The prevailing grays and browns in the stonework anchor the property to its surroundings.
Fast-forward to the current century and the series of small separate rooms. They decided the original floor plan no longer worked with the contemporary affection for big, open gathering spaces. Called upon to rework and update everything, interior designer Katerina Veremi Xynogala even reconstructed the layout.
To start, she gutted the interior and crafted a series of more commodious chambers, while never losing sight of the integrity of the original architecture. “I followed the existing aesthetic as much as possible,” says Xynogala. The size and locales of the window and door openings remained the same. She did, however, exchange the existing panes and frames for better-insulated versions. Xynogala also removed the old marble floor tiles and then “placed them again to follow, as much as possible, the aesthetic of the house.”
Photographs by Ioanna Roufopoulou
Unfussy furnishings like a Sits green living room sofa and Xynogala’s dining table adjacent to the kitchen are in keeping with the modernist architecture. The oak veneer kitchen cabinets also of her design align as well.
Noting the “basement was like a warehouse,” the designer transformed the lower level into a lounge area. The casual dining space is accompanied by a new wine cellar. A separate structure houses two guest bedrooms with a small kitchen partitioned off with space-saving sliding glass doors.
The beautiful Greek weather all but mandates equally welcoming outdoor spaces, and here the al fresco living and dining areas are no exception. Protected from prevailing winds by impervious stone partitions, Xynogala peppered the spaces with Kettal furnishings with frames and cushions in neutral tones perfectly in sync with the walls built over a half century ago.
The print version of this article appears with the headline: Aegean Dream.
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