Divin Prince, a native of Muvattupuzha, Kerala always dreamt of owning a colonial style house. An interior designer by profession, Divin already had a few designs for his house, in his mind, even before the construction began. His mother Mamta Prince too was supportive of Divin’s dreams and completely approved his designs and ideas for their brand new home. The stunning house that took shape on a 7.5 cents plot in Muvattupuzha now exudes the elegant charm of colonial architecture. The house which has three bedrooms was completed on a budget of Rs 47 lakh.
Proper planning
“I had always dreamed of constructing a colonial style house. I used to cut out and keep the plans and pictures of beautiful colonial houses that appeared on newspapers and magazines, from my school days. Besides, I was inspired by the French style mansions in and around Fort Kochi. That is how I decided to build my home in the colonial style itself,” says Divin Prince.
Divin is a person who ponders a lot before doing something. However, he didn’t have to think twice to entrust his close friend Jose Kuriakose, the owner of Agaram Architects, with the construction of his dream dwelling. The plan was prepared after discussing with all the members in the family.
It was quite a task designing a colonial style house in a plot that is less than 10 cents in area. So, maximum space was included in the carpet area while building the house. The beautiful house, designed in 1900 sq ft, has a spacious car porch, drawing room, a family living space-cum-dining area on the right side, the master bedroom on the left side, two more bedrooms and a kitchen with a work area.
Simple and beautiful
The family wanted the interiors to be minimal and simple. However, they weren’t ready to compromise on the facilities. Lots of doors and windows are installed to fill the interiors with cool breeze and pleasant sunshine. The entrance door and its frame are built in exquisite teak wood. Meanwhile, the rest of the doors and the windows are made in 'anjili' wood (artocarpus hirsutus) and jackfruit tree timber. All the doors in the house are painted in PU spray paint with matte finish.
Instead of granite, matte finished tiles are paved on the floor in the sit out. Meanwhile, the same tiles with a different texture are used in the interiors. Tiles in lighter shade are used for flooring in the living area. This makes the interiors look spacious and brighter as well. The kitchen, meanwhile, is furnished with lots of sliding and regular cupboards to make it extremely functional.
“The dining area is our favourite spot in the house. This space is the perfect spot which connects the kitchen and with the rest of the areas. From the kitchen, one could easily see and talk to the ones who are relaxing in other areas. The dining table made in timber has chairs on one side and a bench on the other,” says Divin.
Music corner
Divin’s mother is a music teacher and she wanted a separated space to conduct music classes. A stairway in GI pipes has been built outside to climb to this space which is done with a truss work. This spacious room whose roof is 9 feet high has an adjacent bathroom as well.
Self design
Divin is extremely elated as he himself had designed the interiors. The spectacular charm of the Scandinavian style is the highlight of the interiors. Pleasant lighter shades are used inside the house.
“The unique feature of the Scandinavian interior art is to use minimal furniture and other furnishings to increase the utility space. I have followed this idea while designing my house,” notes Divin.
The construction of this mesmerizing house, including the structure, compound wall, interiors and the landscape, was completed on a budget of Rs 47 lakh.
Engineer: Jose Kuriakose
Mob: 9809911813
