Knowing how nerve-wracking and relationship rending it can be to build a house, MG and I decided to simply let this experience be fun. Our tastes are similar enough that we thought we could come to a happy conclusion. To myself, I committed to put aside all my design snobbery and be open both to MG's ideas, the local customs and centuries of experience of the island natives.
The architect sent renderings of 3 different houses to us for our review. After discussing the ins and outs of each version we began to gravitate towards the one with the L-shape. This shape gives the best views from the most rooms, provides a large and protected terrace, is more architecturally interesting, gives the most privacy to the bedroom suites and will be easiest to shutter and lock when we are absent. And we simply liked it the most of all three.
Once the design was chosen, we spent many winter evenings poring over the drawing, discussing what it would be like to actually live in the house. Do we really want a garage or would an additional guest suite be a better use for that space? Where would we store the water toys? Should we install an outdoor shower so less sand is tracked in the house? Should we have a separate powder room for day visitors or have them share one of the guest room baths? Will we want a fireplace or a wood-burning stove? Will air-conditioning be necessary? What about shower stalls versus wet-room style bathrooms? Do we want a window over the kitchen sink? How about ceiling fans? And on and on.
We modified and discussed and researched for months. At last we were happy with our decisions and forwarded our modified plans to MG's brother-on-law in London, who is a respected architect. He proposed many excellent suggestions, all of which we jumped at.
We sent our seriously marked-up plans to the island architect.
Meanwhile BF and his family went through a similar time of discussing needs, wants, and uses. We all traded ideas back and forth. We incorporated some of their ideas and they incorporated some of ours. In the end, each family has a plan for a house that every member will love to visit, live in and share with kith and kin.
Now, it was time to decide how the houses would be sited on the land and to find a contractor. A trip to the island was called for. So began my initial lessons in how things work in Greece and the relationships on which most dealings are based.
As it turns out, MG has a cousin whose wife's cousin is a contractor on the very island where our land is located. Not only that, the cousin and his wife also have a house on the island. Mental note: future friends. The cousins grow grapes and make their own wine. Mental note: perhaps they will teach me how to do the same. Mental note: another intention fulfilled...owning a vineyard in Sonoma, CA - a long held fantasy which I now will relocate from California to Greece.
We traveled to Greece in late August 2009 to walk the land, make note of the views, observe the path of the sun, feel which way the breezes blow, meet with our architect, talk to some contractors and decide which one to hire, look carefully at new construction on the island, talk about what to do with the mysterious stone cottage, and, for me, to fantasize what it will be like to live here one day. I was positively giddy as we boarded the ferry. As the sun sets, I realize this is ME (pinch, pinch) bound for an island off Greece with the love of my life. Life truly is an amazing adventure.
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