Saronis Interior Design in a  small Sea-side residence.

In tandem with the design of a garden, and the intervention in the elevations complete structural enhancement, this was primarily an interiors project as no additional building was allowed in this prime sea-side location close to Athens. Thus existing built space was both limited and extremely valuable. and existing volume had to be preserved, and utilized in the best possible manner. Both the interiors and the previously completed garden layout were of course coordinated with the volumetric layout of the residence and thus this involved a uniquely compatible whole.

Convincing rough materials compatible with the more than 50 year  old structures found in advanced disarray,  were enhanced by modern  structural provisions for safety, and then finished with slick, high-tech installations and  functional amenities, to create an environment where the ‘old-traditional  and rough’ is contrasted with the ‘new-modern and shiny’, an interplay of textures towards a highly functional whole with great economy of space.  Besides naturally coloured plaster and oak-finished high quality windows and shutters, natural finishing materials included two-coloured marble floor designs, custom-designed with rather unconventional innovative layout.  Quite enthusiastically encouraged by the owner, the proposed  curved wavy designs were complementing the design of the main living space containing prototypical features of circular plan for guest  bathroom and stair-well layout that were proposed as quite helpful in conserving valuable space and consistently compatible with concealing otherwise un-interesting restrictive vertical structural system elements, which were given in this particular renovation. The floor-designs also helped linking interior-and exterior space as they continued out-doors and were linked with the overall design of the garden which also contained extensively curved forms both in plan and volume.

Rough natural materials, most prominent in the initially commissioned lower house, were juxtaposed with slick high-tech finishing materials for modern installations, elegant modern amenities and practically invisible air-conditioning system through innovative custom detailing on all interior finishes for all main spaces. Modern minimal abstracted detailing with custom designed prototypical oak sliding picture windows and safety roll-type oak shutters, slick functional custom-designed marble bathrooms, open custom designed kitchens, discretely laid-out in quite constrained space, elaborate false ceiling & lighting designs characterize the small scale project and the main residence in particular.

The project was commissioned in stages, first an intervention was suggested for the lower house, next to the sea, needing interventions to enhance the structural system and installation of modern amenities within a given shell, of quite random shape and proportions. The final house was designed to be covered as best as possible, with the living room space located at the most convenient location closest to the existing swimming pool, which was to change shape.

Later, a proposal was requested for the main, high-level residence with its basement. There the intervention was quite major with the living room, as ample as possible, placed closest to the sea and garden view with large openings to match. Intervention in the structural system was also necessary in this house. Both houses were conveniently connected at the lower level, below the elaborate sculptured garden, an elaborate project making optimal utilization of the limited space for small additional bedrooms and other facilities.  The most unusual, custom-made layout design reflects the quite unusual programmatic and functional constraints of this particular project.

The  rough and rather primitive conditions that could be put in place for the implementation of the project in the particular location did not facilitate the implementation of  the project, despite the best intensions of all participants. It is also unfortunate that  some of the movable furnishing selections at the end of this quite elaborate and sophisticated accommodation of  needs into limited space, were not  analogous with the design and implementation effort for the custom detailed environment, as at the end there was a rush to occupy and reduce expenditure.

The design of the  residence volumes and exterior as well as the sophisticated landscape project which was the first to be commissioned in this case, are also presented separately in the context of other comparable commissions.

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