This designer has discarded traditional beliefs, instead inquiring about his desired emotional experience, leading to the creation of a feel-good retreat for vacations on the island of Crete.
Cari Giannoulias Finds a Peaceful Retreat in Modern Crete Home
Cari Giannoulias, a Chicago resident who considers Greece as her special place, has found a tranquil haven in a modern home in Crete. The house, designed by Scope Architects and Fytron Landscapes, embodies indoor/outdoor living, seamlessly blending with its lush Mediterranean garden and surrounding olive groves.
The home's design prioritizes a seamless connection between indoor spaces and the outdoors, with large sliding glass doors that open the living, dining, and kitchen areas to natural light and garden views. This fluid living experience between inside and outside is further reinforced by the home’s layout, which includes independent patios providing privacy and natural filtering of light.
Inspired by the Mediterranean ethos, Cari Giannoulias collaborated with Scope Architects to create a space that balances simplicity, warmth, and sustainability. The combination of stone construction, Mediterranean flora, and an olive grove around the property enhance the sustainable and harmonious character of the home.
Authenticity was a key focus in the home's design, with pieces chiseled by hand using traditional techniques. The home's interior is filled with items meaningful to Cari Giannoulias's family, a testament to her deep connection with Greece. The home's design also incorporates sustainable materials, custom-made fixtures, handmade finishing, and wabi-sabi aesthetics, reflecting Cari's commitment to sustainability and respect for the setting.
The home's pi-shape layout references vernacular architecture and is guided by an indoor/outdoor living concept. The central Mediterranean garden features several seating areas and spots to relax, making it an ideal space for slow living. Cari Giannoulias spends her time in Crete reading, tending to the garden, immersing herself in history and art, and enjoying the peaceful surroundings.
Cari Giannoulias's family visits Greece every summer, and she hopes to spend more time there in the future. Her love for Greece, passed down from her husband's parents, is evident in her connection to the country and her beautiful modern home in Crete.
- The texture of the hand-chiseled pieces adds authenticity to Cari Giannoulias's modern Crete home, mirroring sustainable living and respect for the setting's history.
- The interior design of Cari's home in Crete is a blend of trends, showcasing an artistic fusion of Mediterranean flora, stone construction, and wabi-sabi aesthetics.
- Cari Giannoulias's kitchen, with its seamless connection to the outdoors and olive grove, often serves as a backdrop to her slow living lifestyle, immersed in the peace and tranquility of modern Crete.
- In collaboration with Scope Architects, Cari Giannoulias designed her living room, living space filled with personal family items, to reflect her deep connection with Greece's culture and lifestyle.
- The color palette of Cari's bathroom, inspired by the Mediterranean ethos, evokes a sense of calm and relaxation that complements the overall peaceful atmosphere of her modern Crete home.
- Outdoor living areas in Cari Giannoulias's home, including comfortable seating around the Mediterranean garden, encourage a lifestyle focused on enjoying the surrounding nature and history.
- Home-and-garden enthusiasts, interested in sustainable living and Mediterranean design, may find inspiration in Cari Giannoulias's modern Crete home, a harmonious fusion of architecture, art, and the lush Mediterranean landscape.
