A century-old farmhouse nestled in Greece's Peloponnese mountains has been transformed into a stunning modern home while carefully preserving its historic character. The renovation project, led by Athens-based architecture firm Point Supreme, demonstrates how ancient structures can be revitalized without losing their authentic charm.
"With this house, we mostly behaved as archaeologists, not architects," says Marianna Rentzou, co-founder of Point Supreme along with her partner Konstantinos Pantazis. "Our work was to reveal what was already there." Speaking from their Athens office, Rentzou explains how they approached the renovation of the former farmhouse located about 125 miles west of the Greek capital in the mountainous Peloponnese region.
The house sits quietly on a verdant hillside, blending seamlessly with neighboring village buildings - exactly as the owners intended. When multiple architecture studios were invited to present renovation proposals, only Point Supreme fully embraced the owners' request for a subtle approach that would leave the building's exterior virtually untouched. This unassuming appearance masks the careful restoration work that has transformed the interior while respecting its historic roots.
Built around the beginning of the 20th century, the house originally served a local family who lived on the first floor while keeping their animals on the ground level, a common arrangement of that era. When the current owners purchased the property, they found hay bales still stored under the stone arches on the lower level, bare earth floors, and bats hanging from the wooden beams. The ground floor has since been converted into two bedrooms, a cave-like bathroom, and a workshop for one of the owners who enjoys carpentry as a hobby.
The architects made only one major structural alteration during the renovation process. The space beneath the first-floor terrace, previously open to the elements, was enclosed and transformed into a quiet retreat featuring a daybed and kitchenette. "A door leads from here out into the garden, creating the relationship to the outside," Pantazis explains. "After all, this is Greece."
Visitors enter the house exactly as previous generations did, climbing stone steps to a door that opens directly onto the living room. Upon crossing the threshold, it becomes immediately clear why the architects "fell in love with everything here" and took such care to preserve original features. The floorboards remain charmingly uneven and occasionally squeak underfoot, wooden lintels have been meticulously restored, and cupboards retain their old flaky paint rather than being sanded and varnished. High up in the kitchen wall, a tiny carved niche that once held an icon of the Virgin Mary has been carefully preserved.
While other architects proposed adding expansive glazing to maximize views across the churchyard and valley toward the distant Menalon highlands, Point Supreme retained the original small, slightly rickety windows that bring character to the space. "It's about the rhythm of viewing," one of the owners explains. "It's nicer to have the view framed by windows." This decision proves that sometimes less intervention creates better results.
Despite extensive preservation efforts, the house doesn't feel old-fashioned thanks to Point Supreme's signature use of vibrant colors throughout. The main kitchen features Corian worktops and units in two different shades of green, while the smaller downstairs kitchenette is painted buttercup yellow and the outdoor terrace railings are bright red. "Because the house is on a mountain and the light is amazing, the colors work together throughout the day," Rentzou notes. "It's like a rainbow." These bold colors create a striking contrast with the house's simple, historic bones, preventing the interior from feeling staid or drab.
The renovation wasn't solely about preservation, however. Working closely with the owners, Point Supreme incorporated several modern interpretations of traditional Greek vernacular architecture. The open-plan kitchen includes a "krevati" or daybed, which "was very typical in old traditional houses, especially in the north of Greece," Rentzou explains. "The houses were small, so this was often where the grandmother slept." In the living room, they added a contemporary version of an "ontas," a partition common in traditional Greek domestic architecture.
The ontas, derived from the Turkish word "oda" meaning room, was traditionally found in two-story houses and mansions across Epirus, Macedonia, Thrace, and some Aegean islands. "Traditionally, the ontas served multiple purposes: as a winter living room, sleeping area, cooking space and guest room," Pantazis explains. In this Peloponnese house, the partition creates a cozy gathering area around the fireplace with comfortable seating for ten people.
Both architects reflect on their passion for working with historic structures, noting that their approach was shaped by launching their studio in 2008 during Greece's financial crisis. For several years, they worked on self-initiated projects and renovations with minimal budgets. "It's what we learned," Pantazis says. "Always reclaiming, preserving old things, and accepting a house in the condition we find it. We basically like everything, we never say, 'This is ugly, this is horrible.'"
Their philosophy runs deeper than economic necessity, however. "Greek architects are intimidated by the importance of our history, so they don't dare to work with it," Pantazis continues. "That's why modernism has proved so popular - you avoid color, you avoid decoration, and you avoid comparison." Both architects experienced similar concerns early in their careers, leading them to spend a decade abroad training in respected studios across Japan, the Netherlands, Belgium, and the United Kingdom.
Upon returning to Greece, they discovered a newfound appreciation for traditional vernacular architecture. "Now, it's not a burden. We understand what our tradition can give us as contemporary architects," Pantazis explains. "Today we're at the other end of the spectrum. We're much more open to history, tradition, Greekness." This Peloponnese farmhouse represents their favorite project to date, embodying their evolved relationship with Greek architectural heritage and demonstrating how ancient buildings can be sensitively adapted for modern living while honoring their historic character.
