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The Italians are experts in la dolce vita: They have mastered the art of enjoying life and spending time with family and friends. This philosophy generally pervades the Mediterranean culture, and it’s certainly one of the reasons why Stefano Carera and Eirini Giannakopoulou are great partners, both in life and business. The couple launched their Turin-based architecture studio in 2011. Since then, they’ve designed spaces that always reflect balance between functionality and emotion, tradition and innovation. For them, a project has to be like a poem: saying the most with as few words as possible. This essential concept does not translate into a specific aesthetic but rather, it is like the relationship between technique and imagination. Case in point: Stefano and Eirini’s tiny holiday home located in a small village in the Alta Val di Susa, Claviere.
“It is on the ski slopes, just one hour from Turin,” Eirini says. “It is a very lively area in every season.” The 269 square feet of outdoor space overlooking the woods is what made the couple fall in love with this place. “We have a five-year-old kid who really has fun playing outside!”
The two architects purchased the flat two years ago and, since then, have renovated everything inside. The biggest challenge consisted of “interpreting the traditional image of a chalet in the mountains, usually all made of wood.” Instead of sticking to that particular ideal, Eirini and Stefano created a colorful, 323-square-foot refuge with an open space comprised of the kitchen and dining/living area, a tiny bedroom, and a bath.
The public area, which is the heart of the home, features a key element of the project, which pays tribute to the Italian design master who founded the Memphis Group in Milan in 1980. “The most important tone is the red veneer of Ettore Sottsass,” Eirini says. “We love colors, and in this project we introduced a rich palette.”
Inspired by fairy tales and the surrounding alpine scenery, the architect couple fully leaned into designing this space for themselves. “When we create for us, we are totally free,” says Eirini.
In this welcoming apartment where every inch is maximized, blue and green hues—as an ode to the landscape—contrast with the red throughout. Some decorative elements such as the Frog poster by Enzo Mari on the wall and the Kartell Gnome by Philippe Starck create a surprising and joyful atmosphere filled with fantasy.
Eirini and Stefano worked on giving a sense of flow and feeling of depth through the materials and motifs. As a result, their holiday home is cozy yet fun, functional yet one of a kind. “We used to go almost every weekend,” Eirini and Stefano say. For them, this space is “a microcosm of life.”
⚒ Do It Yourself
Use multifunctional pieces of furniture to optimize a small space. Eirini and Stefano opted for a sofa bed in the tiny living area to make sure they can invite friends and family to stay with them for a weekend.
Play with different motifs and strong hues to create some depth. Geometric and floral motifs through rugs, curtains, and tiles combined with bright colors on the walls and on some furnishings help to add a sense of movement and visual dynamism to a space.
Choose one color as the common thread. In their mountain refuge, Eirini and Stefano picked red as the main theme. They used it in several ways in the different spaces to make the apartment feel cohesive.
🛍 Shop It Out
All products featured on Architectural Digest are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Frog poster by Enzo Mari, $280, from Stardust Modern
Galaxy 108 fabric (175 cm) by Kvadrat, € 112, from The Cushion Shop
Fresnel Wall/Ceiling Light by Joe Colombo for Oluce, $459, from Lumens
Gnomes by Philippe Starck for Kartell, $375, from Lumens
