Most NRIs come back with an earnest desire of building a home that epitomises nostalgia and embraces a traditional style. A native of Chingavanam, Thankachen had just that in mind when he came back to India. His son's friend and architect Jacob Benoy gave them a tailormade design – which was a fusion of both modern and traditional styles.
The exterior of the 3000 sq ft home on a plot of 50 cents entirely follows a Kerala style of architecture. The only modern element that stands out is the stone cladding on the pillars. The old house on the property was demolished completely to make way for the new one. The wardrobes and the cupboards have been done with the wooden frames of the old house. The wood from the attic came handy to build the furniture. The roof tiles for the home were brought when an old school in the area was put down. There is a well and a spacious porch in the front.
To the right of the foyer is the dining area and to the left, the formal living room. The custom made furniture and the warm tone lighting in the interiors is welcoming. Their home is most often the venue for the extended family to get together, and so the common space was given more importance. The two basins in the wash area is because of this.
There are four bedrooms in the house and all of these are placed with the Nadumuttom as the central point. The bedrooms are L-shaped with a walk-in wardrobe and attached bath. The wardrobes were done this way to bring in more space to the rooms. Cross ventilation was taken care of in all rooms. The bathrooms have separate dry and wet areas.
The kitchen is adjacent to the family living room and facing the central courtyard. The overhead cabinets are made of wood and glass. Spaces for the oven and fridge were designated when the kitchen was designed and the C-shaped kitchen seemed spacious enough. One door in the kitchen leads to the storage space whereas the other to the work area. The washing machine finds itself in a separate utility room near the work area.
Architect: Jacob Benoy
Spacecase, Kottayam
Contact: ar.jacobinoy@gmail.com