A young family in the Athens suburb of Papagou asked Ioannis Exarchou to freshen up their dark, dated, 40-year-old apartment. They wanted to carve out space in the approximately 1,292-square-foot pad to work from home and pursue their various hobbies, which range from beer brewing to jewelry making to baking sourdough bread. “They even have a stone mill to grind organic wheat to make their flour,” says Exarchou, who was also tasked with creating a more spacious, light-filled kitchen.

To give the unit a fresh look and heighten functionality, Exarchou removed rough plaster walls and dark wood, replacing them with materials that give the home a lighter, smoother finish. He added a second bedroom with three sliding panels that can open up, or close off, the space as needed. “This allows for some playful arrangements depending on [the clients’] mood,” says Exarchou. “The different positions of the panels transform the interior during the day or night, offering a multitude of uses, views, and versatility.” Behind the panels, a desktop made out of wood repurposed from the apartment’s former decorative beams comprises the minimalist home office nook.

Wood that had been removed in the demolition was also repurposed for the living room sofa. Pine plywood was employed elsewhere to give the rest of the interiors a brighter look. The floor was covered with a gray, self-leveling resin to further enhance the sense of calmness.

The living space also does double duty as a home brewery, a venture the family documents on their website beer’d. “The wheeled furniture transforms the space without disrupting the overall function of the house,” explains Exarchou. “The home brewery existed in a looser manner before the renovation, and the clients wished to place it on wheeled cupboards to make the arrangement more practical and versatile for brewing and bottling.”

Exarchou reports that the family enjoys their home's new ambiance, as well as the flexibility that the renovation provides: “They happily told me that the apartment has become functional and refreshing!”

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Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Ioannis Exarchou Architecture / @ex_arch
Lighting Design: Ioannis Exarchou Architecture
Interior Design: Ioannis Exarchou Architecture
Cabinetry Design: Iosif Xarikiopoulous, carpenter

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A Crisp Athens Apartment Makes Room for a Family’s Home Brewery