For about ten days, the Susan Theunissen and Leo Coolen’s Tenerife House has turned into a film set. “I can’t reveal anything. We also often host photo shoots and at the moment the annex is rented to a group of New Yorkers,” says the landlady on the phone. She, an architect, takes care of the contracts, he, an antiques dealer and interior designer, is currently following the work on a boutique hotel and a cocktail bar on the island. The two have been dividing their time for years between the largest of the Canary Islands e Antwerpwhere they run the two family businesses: Fairytalesa huge warehouse that deals with modern antiques and props for cinema, fashion shows and events, and the new e-commerce of vintage furniture and lamps AfterMidnight.
The couple arrived in Tenerife in 2011, on holiday with their three children. «It was never one of our favourite destinations, but we changed our minds when we explored the area with local friends. The discovery of the house was completely accidental. One day, on the road leading to a villa built by Herzog & de Meuron, we noticed this residence of modernist inspiration nestled in the rock and lapped by the ocean waves» recalls Susan who, like Leo, has an eye for hidden treasures. «We were fascinated by its unique architecture, the natural pool dug into the rocks but above all the perched position on the coast. We had to have it.”
Located near the village of El Poríson the southern slope half an hour from the capital Santa Cruz, the house built in the early 70s had been abandoned for at least two decades and was in poor condition. No big deal. A new challenge for the couple who faced a radical renovation trying to keep alive the nonconformist spirit of the time: «No expansion. The dimensions and volumes are the original ones, as is the large patio towards which all the bedrooms are oriented». The two wanted to preserve the white plaster typical of those years, the massive Spanish wooden doors and some organically shaped portholes that pierce the walls and balustrades. What changed instead was the layout, previously fragmented into smaller rooms, to make room for more spacious and illuminated environments with large openings overlooking the oceanincluding the old basement now converted into a lounge area that leads to the sea. Last but not least, the systems and finishes, which inside have been declined in the soft gray shades of concrete.
“We have 700 square meters, seven double rooms and one single, in addition to the annex with three other bedrooms. It was inevitable to rent something out during the summer. And then we like to share so much beauty with our guests”, admits the architect. Needless to say, to redo the interiors Susan and Leo played at home, drawing from the huge archive of their warehouse in Belgium. Furniture, lights, accessories and works of art arrived by ship, packed inside three containers. «To stay true to the origins of the building, a lot is from the 70s, but we had fun mixing in some from the 80s, Spanish handcrafted objects, mobili Space AgeMid-century lamps, along with designer furniture and artist pieces. Small pieces that have been added slowly over these thirteen years. And we’re not done yet, this house is a constant work in progress», jokes Susan.
The two’s favorite spot is the terrace – this one is completely new – accessible from the living area and composed of a series of concrete steps interrupted here and there by cactus beds and a large oval swimming pool. Hidden in a corner a outdoor barbecue with a fireplace. «For us it is the apotheosis of outdoor life that lasts all year round here. We often spend the winter holidays on the island, together with the kids. We wander between Santa Cruz – there are beautiful museums, parks, restaurants and an auditorium designed by Calatrava – and the small villages to the north that retain an authentic flavour. And we can never miss a stop at the Teide National Park: a lunar landscape that leaves you speechless».
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