HOUSE IN THESSALONIKI

Petros Fragopoulos interior design team was asked to redesign a two storey private residence, including basement and attic, located at the region of Oraiokastro, Thessaloniki. The house was built at the mid-90s and during our first visit to the site we had immediately noted the morphological preferences of that period, both at the exterior and the interior of the building.

The main objective of the program was the transformation of an outdated residential set to a contemporary unit that meets the needs of a five-member family and provides conditions and spaces of cozy co-living. The preexisting condition of the house included irregular, non-functional and untapped areas. The initial and significant gesture of the design process was the reorganization of the layout and the rearrangement of the main daily functions to an open plan. Consequently, suspended ceilings and tile floorings were dismantled, while existing kitchen walls were demolished. The new open L shaped kitchen is now situated next to the dining area and is visible from the entrance. Moreover, an extra room, serving as a guest room was created after the wall demolition.

Οak wood bespoke structures define and distinct the kitchen’s area from the rest of the everyday spaces. A long linear counter, coated with white marble tiles (1.00m*3.00m), is supported by the wooden structure and consists the meeting point of the family. White marble juxtaposed with oak wood and punctuated by the morning light provide a sense of clarity and coziness.

The dining area, situated in front of the entrance, is a visible yet semi-enclosed space with oak wood, white and grey marble cladding. The vertical thin wall covered with grey marble, where a suspended oak console is integrated, in combination to the wooden cabinets and the white marble wall determine the boundaries of the dining area and create a modern luxurious ambience.

Τhe former semicircular configuration and the steps that separated the upper from the lower level, are aligned to the exterior walls in order to make the movement axis legible and clear. Conceived as a series of interconnected spaces, the living room is placed at the lower level of the ground floor in connection to the exterior green areas, following the elegant yet homely atmosphere of the overall design. The fireplace is preserved at its initial place, nevertheless is transformed from an old fashioned element to a contemporary composition made of white and grey wall paint and grey marble. Finally, an intermediate open office space, with oak wood cladding, is created between the entrance and the living room enabling the transition from the exterior to the communal interior area.

The designers’ vision of the project was a spacious totality composed by open sub-spaces that share light and aesthetics, while the big variety and gentle contrasts in textures and finishes enhance the everyday domestic experience. Based on a palette of white and grey, the walls and ceiling work as a neutral canvas where oak, marble and textiles alternate and designate each sub-space and construction, while the use of oak hardwood floor unifies them.