Tinos House by Kelly Spanou embraces imperfection on a Greek island

Athens-based architect Kelly Spanou has designed Tinos House, a contemporary residence on the Cycladic island of Tinos that harmonizes with its rugged mountainside setting. The house incorporates a traditional keli—a dry-stone shepherd's shelter over a century old—which was altered by previous owners. Spanou's design retains traces of its past by removing plasterboard to reveal original stonework. The house flows across two light-flooded levels with one bedroom, featuring walls of glass that frame views of the Aegean Sea. The material palette includes local stone, raw concrete, reclaimed marble, and steamed beech, sourced from Tinos and Athens and worked by local artisans. A monolithic structure on the ground floor serves as both a kitchen island and sculptural abstraction, with a sunken marble sink and irregular textured underside. Spanou worked with design collaborator Penny Alevizou. The clients, a Greek and French-Lebanese couple based overseas, wanted to feel small in relation to the space, constantly reminded of the landscape. Spanou, a former associate lecturer at the Royal College of Art, emphasized avoiding perfection and embracing material roughness. The house is featured in Wallpaper* magazine.