

The house was built in 2004 and is made up of two independent residencies. The legendary olive tree of the farm, apart from being a sculpture of its own right, also supports the marble bench. Another hospitable niche with the view of the archipelago.

The architect’s “belly”. At times, well-lit with the large glass paneling bringing in the whole garden, other times, a simple draw of the curtain can bring isolation from the outside world. It’s as simple as that.

On the top shelf is an antique depth gauge. Shelves on the wall filled with all sorts of objects. An art piece made by the owner from the cheekbones of a large sea bream, photographs, works of art, all life fragments in the depths of time.

Traditional elements enrich the modern space. The round mosaic in the centre of the room -a game while working.

Welcome to the castle of knowledge and… creativity. Natural light spreads from every corner onto the work surface. The small wooden platform hides a little storeroom behind it.

First things first. Relaxation. Modern-traditional, old-new, works of art next to everyday objects. Detail: a Cretan chair.

A book-case for “immediate investigation”. The hand-made rugs are not only wonderful ornaments but they also offer the ultimate barefoot experience.

Knowledge and imagination bring results. The wooden beam is supported by a marble base. The trunk is not for sitting! Old Parian women used to say “Girls shouldn’t be sitting on trunks, it brings bad luck”. The poor girls would end up as spinsters… A fishing boat made by Alexis Kyritsopoulos sails on top of the mantelpiece.

“We are made of the material of our dreams and our little lives are surrounded by sleep”. One of the bedrooms, simple, with warm colours, reminiscent of deck beds.

Monastery type table in the kitchen. The house meeting point. It is surrounded by works of art, paintings, photographs, objects, improvised sculptures. Window shills tell stories immersed in light.

Kitchen: Ergonomic design, simple solutions, timeless materials. The marble sink reminds us that we are in Paros. The stained-glass window underlines the dome-shaped roof.

Giannis Zikas’ painting twitters on the wall. Perfectly linked to the wind sheltered space, the colourful birds complete the view to the garden.
Education in harmony
Text: Danae Tal | Photos: Dimitris Vranas (A.I.F)
Comfort and simplicity, an inseparable unity
Hidden inland, absolutely autonomous place designed by the owner-architect. Comfort and simplicity form one inseparable unity. Creative and imaginative use of traditional elements, minimum intervention in the natural environment and the residents’ aesthetics comprise the character of the place.
When we set off that cloudy morning, the only thing I knew was that we were going to “the house of the second issue”. The light came from sideways, it was still early morning and the road very quiet. I took a narrow road uphill. Right on the left and right edges, the course was lit up with flowery bushes. Lively bundles of yellow, as if about to spread in the air, were showing the way.
Once through the large door, I first face a landscape framed by a sculpted olive tree.
Only later would I find out tat time had been its sculptor for hundred of years. Soon the frame opened. My eyes followed the vine that had been climbing on the northern part of the farm. In front of me lay the bay of Naoussa and, then, the horizon opened up carrying the viewer towards the archipelago.
At last I turned to see the house. I really had had no idea. Nobody had told me I was going to see such a structure.
If every house is based upon a certain concept, this structure was definitely about autonomy. Each space could be autonomously accessed to and from outside. The outside is really a second house, where life is transferred during summertime.
With very little human intervention, the outside spaces are spread around as if on board a ship. Still there are foundations! In its heart, naturally, is the kitchen: domed, spacious, passage and station for the residents. The openings of the kitchen become frames through which the back-garden trees are seen: a little kumquat and a young lemon tree stand in front of us accompanied by paintings, photographs and sculptures. I find myself in a vibrant home where everything merges so unpretentiously.
My eyes got stuck on the six cross-shaped black stains just above the front door. A determined hand had marked them with the smoke of the Easter candle. One cross for every year of the house. Still, things are telling of many lives combined into one.
“The less you write, the more photographs we will publish”. Haris, the beast tamer, had told me. I couldn’t deprive you of seeing them. You will see how Dimitris Vranas has managed to capture the atmosphere of the house through his camera.