Late Moosakutty Haji is still revered in Malappuram as a great humanitarian and social worker who had touched many lives. His son Jabir shares the incredible story of their ancestral home that was built by his father around four decades ago. The ‘Nandanil’ house had been one of the elegant homes in Tanalur in Malappuram. However, time began taking a toll on the old structure. Jabir wasn’t interested in dismantling the house and rebuilding a new one as the house is filled with many emotional memories. The family then decided to renovate the house by adding a few features that suit their modern lifestyle. However, they wanted to do it without losing the soul of the ancestral home.
The old wooden rafters were in a decayed state and had to be replaced. Besides, the family wasn’t impressed with the small and congested spaces. The lack of space was overcome by smartly rearranging the spaces. Interestingly, only around 200 sqft has been newly added to the structure. The renovated structure, now, has a sit-out, living area, dining space and three bedrooms arranged in an area of 2000 sqft.
The major changes
The decayed wooden rafters have been replaced with GI truss roof. The old roofing tiles are reused here to retain the charm of the traditional style. Ceiling tiles too have been paved beneath the roof to make it look beautiful and elegant. The laterite stone cladding on the sit out and the outer walls adds a rustic charm to the elevation. Many of the walls between the rooms that made the areas congested were dismantled. This created more space inside and the interiors got transformed into an open theme. Meanwhile, the old oxidized flooring got replaced with marbonite. The kitchen too got a modern makeover. The bedrooms have been made spacious with attached bathrooms too.
Grilles are newly fixed on the sit out just like the villazhi (wooden grille) that is seen in traditional houses. Besides looking classy, this feature ensures additional safety too. The grand stairway is the high light of the house. Old timber planks have been used as the steps here. Meanwhile, the latest metal hand railings add a unique charm to the stairway. Meanwhile, the quaint courtyard below it brings a hint of greenery into the house.
The renovation works were completed during the Covid times. The family is happy and proud that they could give a modern makeover to their favorite ancestral house on an affordable budget of Rs 15 lakh.
Project Facts
Location – Tanalur, Malappuram
Area – 2000 SFT (New), 1800 SFT (Old)
Owner – Jabir
Designer – Salim PM
AS Design Forum, Malappuram
Mob – 9947211689
Year of completion – 2021 July
Budget – Rs 15 lakhs
Pictures – Akhil Komachy
