Located in Agios Mattheos, a rural area known for its natural beaut, with wooded hills and views over the Souda Bay, the city of Chania and the White Mountains, this stone house emerges as an intimate homage to outdoor living, to tradition and to the present. “It’s my favorite place on Earth,” the designer confesses. “And also my most personal project to date.”.
Cari Giannoulias, who currently lives in the United States, explains: “My husband’s parents are Greek—his father from Mazeka, a small village, and his mother from Asfendiou, Sfakia, near Chania. Although he spent his summers traveling around Greece, Chania was always home for him. And I fell in love with this city. It’s where we got married, where we baptized our children, and where we visited his grandmother every summer. After some years, we decided to spend more time in Chania and looked for a plot of land to build.”
A dialogue with the Cretan landscape
The project began with a clear goal: to blend into the site. Resting on a gentle slope, the house is organized around a central courtyard in the shape of the Greek letter “Π”, evoking vernacular architecture. Transitions between indoors and outdoors are fluid, almost imperceptible, thanks to large openings with minimal frames that create seamless visual connections to the pool, the Mediterranean garden, the small olive grove, and the vegetable patches.
Privacy is protected through a thoughtful combination of vegetation and strategic openings. There are areas for relaxation, shaded corners, and even a space to play tennis. Everything invites a slower pace, attuned to the rhythm of the climate and nature.
Tradition, emotion, material
La The house is steeped in references to traditional homes found in Cretan villages. “I was inspired by their simplicity, by that warmth that makes you feel welcome,” Cari recalls. “They were houses that told stories—of generations passing, of objects left behind. I wanted to recreate that feeling by filling our home with pieces that hold meaning for our family.”
The interior speaks a quiet language. A palette of neutral tones enhances the sense of calm and unhurried living. Floor-to-ceiling windows grant full protagonism to the landscape. Even the bathrooms are mirrorless: what is reflected is not the self, but nature. “Even the pool was designed to resemble the sea,” notes the designer.
The material approach was also an act of respect and authenticity. “On the island, you don’t have access to endless options. It forces you to think differently, to find creative solutions with what’s available,” she explains. The stone was handpicked from the mountain. Each block was carved by hand—no laser—using nails and string, like in the old days. The walls were coated in patiti, a natural Greek material that gives them the patina of time lived. Beams and pergolas were cut by hand. Throughout the house, materials avoid the synthetic: ceramic, linen, cotton, marble, wood, plaster, rattan, leather, and metal.
A house that breathes with time
Designing for oneself requires a sincere encounter with one’s own desires and way of living. “I always focus on how each person lives in order to design their home,” says Cari. “With my own, I did the same. It was easy, yet deeply thought out. This house reflects how we live now—though I know it will evolve with us. We’ve left it space to breathe.”
That reflective process extended throughout the entire project. Cari worked remotely with the architects, sending sketches, refining every line and every detail. “It was a tremendous learning experience. I was in a foreign country, with different laws, a different language, a different way of building. Everything was new,” she recalls. And yet, from that immersion, something essential emerged. “This project has transformed me, has rooted me in unexpected ways, and has rekindled my appreciation for the simplicity of life and meaningful connections. It has brought to life a wonderful home that we will treasure for generations to come—filled with memories and lasting friendships. Greece, Crete, Chania: I have no words to thank you enough!”
Project: Cari Giannoulias’s holiday home.
Location: Agios Mattheos, Crete (Greece).
Interior design: Cari Giannoulias Design.
Architecture: Scope Architects.
Landscape design: Fytron Landscape.
Construction: Schema Development y Vavoulas Construction.
Photography: Helen Cathcart.
Styling: Sania Pell.
Completed: 2024.
Interior area: 370 m2.
Layout: 3 levels, 5 bedrooms, 4 and a half bathrooms, main living room, outdoor living room, cinema room and reading room.
Sources: Cari Giannoulias Design y Karine Monié Studio.
Cari Giannoulias
Cari Giannoulias stands out as a serene yet passionate figure in the world of interior design—a creator of spaces that tell stories, where everyday life unfolds with natural elegance. Educated at Boston University, she began her professional path in the marketing sector of the entertainment industry, working with companies such as Creative Artists Agency and Universal Pictures, where she collaborated closely with talents and creatives.
When Cari moved to Chicago with her husband to build their first home, she decided to take on the interior design herself. That experience led her to establish her own studio, where she has developed an aesthetic language defined by understated sophistication and quiet glamour. Her distinctive style blends the precious with the everyday, antiques with contemporary pieces—harmonized into compositions that feel deliberately layered, with narrative intent and emotional depth. See full biography.
Cari Giannoulias Design
910 W Van Buren Suite 603
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 455-8000
carigiannoulias.com
@carigiannoulias
Project by Cari Giannoulias
