For years the Aachen family spent all their summers in Greece, traveling from island to island — until they finally found their paradise in Sifnos. Now their summers are spent at their adopted home, a lovely century-old village house in which they've carefully preserved the charm of the original layout — small rooms arranged around a courtyard garden. It's a design that encourages a relaxed way of living, while the courtyard itself is a room of its own, with a washing stone and a garden hose that's used as a shower.
In the living area a niche is used as a library, while underneath a sofa has been made from a bench draped in a linen sheet and strewn with cushions of mattress ticking and tea towels. The rest of the house's furniture (except for the grey bed, which came with the house) was all found in flea markets and local bazaars. And each year the family follows local tradition and whitewashes the walls, which protects the house from the heat as well as filling the interior with light.
Now the family's summers are spent here by the beautiful sea, gazing out at the spectacular view or sitting under the shade of an ancient olive tree reading, chatting or playing cards — in other words, enjoying an idyllic holiday in the sun. More here (in French). Via Marie Claire Maison.