Bridge For Design Spring 2014 Bridge For Design Spring 2014 Issue | Page 124

INSPIRED BY | John Stefanidis
a traditional Spetses style, with a tiled roof, using materials such as
plaster and stone.
The question for me was how to work within these constraints:
this house is not a reproduction but an invention within that
vernacular. I shunned the idea of doing the interiors in a neoclassical
style that is common to the islands. Instead we decided on clean
lines and some tongue-in-cheek elements.’
The site, on a hillside, has lovely views of the sea and the small
islet of Spetsopoula; a large olive grove flanks it to one side. The
owners were anxious to preserve as many of the trees as possible,
as well as planting new ones.
In response to their concern that the house should look harmonious
in the landscape, John designed a building that nestles right into the
slopes. He also separated the pool and guest houses from the main
house, partly to lessen the visual impact of the new structures.
‘One of the first things we said to John was that we wanted a
central courtyard. We had never built a house before, and we
were concerned that often architects design fantastic houses in
which you don’t know where to put the furniture or how to use
the space. The benefit of using an architect who is also an interior
designer is that John designed the house from the inside out,
which is why it works so well. From the start, we knew where every
piece of furniture would go.’
The building is laid out around the central courtyard,
from which two elegant corridors on either side lead to a main
bedroom suite on one side, and a large inter-connecting drawing
room and library on the other. Both rooms open onto terraces with
dramatic views of the sea.
The many terraces round the house have been given as much
thought as the interiors – for much of the year, the family lives
almost entirely outdoors.
Another sequence of terraces has been created for dining,
and the breakfast room and kitchen are situated nearby, on the
landward side of the house and the entrance.
Mostly we used white walls, but also blue, which is traditional,
too. In addition there’s ochre, olive and terracotta, and the odd
frivolity like a shade of pink. It’s a sensual house, full of light,
colour and many different textures, which are very important.’
John has also designed all of the furniture for the house, indoors
and out, which creates a sense of coherence.
‘The great thing about John’s work is that everything fits
together without being bland,’ says the owner.
‘Other people might not have been bold enough to put together
such fabrics or colours. For me, John’s F