Space efficiency, design marvel blend in this Kozhikode home

Kozhikode home
Willpower, diligence and extra homework is the success mantra behind this house.

Ahmed Babu, hailing from Feroke in Kozhikode district, Kerala, is on cloud nine as he shares his experience of designing his dream home on his own:

I run a confectionary business in Bangalore. I am an avid reader of architecture and interior design magazines, especially Manorama's 'Veedu'. My meticulous reading helped me draw inspiration from the number of houses with unique design plans featured in the articles. I took the best elements from each of them to design my dream home with the help of a friend on the 13 cents of land purchased beside my ancestral house.

I took time from my busy business schedule to fly down to Kozhikode, and supervise the construction while staying at my ancestral home. It goes without saying that painstaking effort and due diligence by family members are extremely important to monitor every stage of construction so as to accomplish your dream. I was, therefore, very particular that someone from the family should oversee the building work while I left for Bangalore. I entrusted the job to a relative.

The house has been designed in box style to experience maximum spaciousness on the narrow lot. Less gimmicks and plain style project the elegance of white exterior walls with grooves running horizontally.

A car porch, sit-out, formal living area, family living, dining room, kitchen, work area, four bedrooms and balcony are accommodated in 4,200sqft area.

Open floor plan has been designed to create airy and spacious interiors. A guest living room with a double-height ceiling is nestled on one side of the main entrance. The living space gets a stunning look with glossy natural stones adorning the opposite wall that separates a courtyard. Going further would lead you into the family living room that promises adequate privacy. The golden wallpaper and concealed lamps have made the area more attractive.

Italian marble and vitrified tiles cover the floors in the common area and bedrooms respectively. The interiors achieve the trendy look with ready-made furniture and gypsum false ceiling and LED lamps that fill up the entire ceiling.

Transparent home decor theme is reflected on the staircase that sports toughened glass inset into a wooden-framed banister. A nano white marble top dining table has been placed next to the stairway. A wooden semi-partition ensures privacy in the dining area. There are two bedrooms each on the ground and first floors with an attached bathroom and wardrobe facility.

Ahmed himself drew the plan for his modular kitchen with multi-wood cabinets and granite countertop. A separate working kitchen has been arranged next to the kitchen.

There is a provision for a living space in the hall upstairs, which could be intelligently transformed into a multi-utility space for library or study space.

The guests who thronged the house-warming function last November were curious to know about my personal experience and the amount of energy I invested to get things done without the help of an architect or a designer. Some of them also wished to get my advice to make their dream home a reality, while another person drew inspiration from my effort to design his own home.

My piece of advice is that anyone who has the willpower to do an extra amount of homework can design a custom-built home without an architect. Last but not the least, I owe a great deal of gratitude to home decor magazines, such as ‘Veedu' from Manorama group, that kept me updated with the latest in the field and new trends in house design.

Project Facts

Location: Feroke, Kozhikode

Plot: 13 cents

Area: 4,200 sqft

Owner and Design: Ahmed Babu

Mobile: 974433355

Design help: Sanush

Y.C: November 2020

Photos: Akhin Komachi

The comments posted here/below/in the given space are not on behalf of Onmanorama. The person posting the comment will be in sole ownership of its responsibility. According to the central government's IT rules, obscene or offensive statement made against a person, religion, community or nation is a punishable offense, and legal action would be taken against people who indulge in such activities.