Though Sudhir P G, a Thrissur native who works in a ship, travels across the globe most of the time, his heart always years for home. Whenever he disembarks in distant places he collects things from there, for his ancestral home Theertham in Thrissur. Kerala, where the women in his life – his mother, wife and daughters – wait for his arrival. Once, when he came home, he realised that it was time to spruce up Theertham, which was built 18 years ago. The 2,400 sq ft house was becoming too crammed with its tiny, closed spaces and outdated appearance. That was when he approached architects Levin P Joy and Jayakrishnan R J, who run Thrissur-based firm Finder Studio, to renovate his home.
Eight months later, a remodelled Theertham now appears as if it has undergone a fairytale transformation. The white structure was replaced by a chic home with warm coloured exteriors, green landscape and a Buddha idol resting in the centre of the pond in the courtyard. Passers-by and visitors are amazed by the magical touch of the architects.
Explaining the renovation plan, Levin says, “When Sudhir approached us, he had only two demands – more ventilation and specious interiors. There were two bedrooms each in the two storeys. The ground floor had dingy spaces for living, dining and kitchen areas, stuffed between walls, and an old staircase. The first floor had two bedrooms, a hall and a balcony overlooking the courtyard.”
The architects decided to give a new addition to the wall boundary to increase the space of the home. As the house was located on around 35 cents of land, extension was easier. “One bedroom was shifted to the first floor and the walls gave away to present a huge family living and dining areas that open to a green space. Adding two courtyards to the common areas provided more ventilation and natural light to the home. The staircase was stacked to the sit-out area and made part of the elevation,” says Levin, adding that they didn’t make much changes to the first storey interiors other than adding a bedroom. The home also got another addition – a gym room in the ground floor.
Having a penchant for white, the family was very particular about the colour tone of the interiors. “White and beige combination was used for the walls, sofa and finishes. Coupling it with wooden colour tones for decor and furniture, giving wooden panelling and matching doors, and blending greenery to it, the house became elegant,” says the architect, who designed the exterior of the house as minimalistic solid textured planes with cool blue and warm earthy tones. After renovation, the house became a 2,883 sq ft structure with four bedrooms, ample living space, airy and well-lit.
The decor, artworks and mantelpieces Sudhir collected for his home fits well in his brand-new abode. All the furniture are custom-made to suit the design. The pooja area with a white idol of Lord Krishna adds an enigmatic aura to the living space. The courtyard was given a contemporary twist with a water area and extensive landscaping that offer Theertham a distinctive charm. Sudhir is glad that he chose renovation over a new home; after every journey he is excited to come back to the warmth of his elegant haven.
Project Facts
Location: Paliakkara, Thrissur
Plot: 35 cents
Area: 2,883 sq ft
Owner: Sudhir P.G.
Design: Levin P. Joy and Jayakrishnan R.J., Finder Studio
094477 17522
Year of completion: September 2020
