Kochi Houzz: A 100-Yr-Old Home is Revived After Going Underwater
Previously devastated by the 2018 Kerala flood, this ancestral bungalow was brought back to life by studio TAB
Vaishnavi Nayel Talawadekar
1 November 2020
Houzz India Contributor. Internationally published architecture, design and art journalist. www.mangomonk.com
Houzz India Contributor. Internationally published architecture, design and art journalist.... More
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: An elderly couple
Location: Kochi, Kerala
Year built: 2019
Size: 232 square metres (2500 square feet); 2 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
Architects: Rahul Das Menon, Ojas Chaudhari, Sagar Bhanushali and Jerin Joseph of studio TAB
Photos by Justin Sebastian
Surrounded by mango groves, lush foliage and a bijou water body, this 1.5-acre property has belonged as much to the landscape as to its owners for the past 100 years.
“Once in a while, a project comes along where the architect plays the role of a narrator to represent and recreate a dialogue between the past and the present. This 100-year-old ancestral property, with a four-generation-old legacy, was that project for us. We reserved four months before the actual site work began to study the native materials of the region, understand the local craftsmanship and scan the by-lanes of the ancient Mattancherry market. We also visited dilapidated houses in and around Kochi and salvaged their old woodwork to use in this project. Our objective was to go back in time to create a design that remains timeless. We refurbished the old and brought in some new, making the home a juxtaposition of the past and the present; an ode to bygone memories,” says Rahul Das Menon, principal architect and co-founder of studio TAB.
Who lives here: An elderly couple
Location: Kochi, Kerala
Year built: 2019
Size: 232 square metres (2500 square feet); 2 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
Architects: Rahul Das Menon, Ojas Chaudhari, Sagar Bhanushali and Jerin Joseph of studio TAB
Photos by Justin Sebastian
Surrounded by mango groves, lush foliage and a bijou water body, this 1.5-acre property has belonged as much to the landscape as to its owners for the past 100 years.
“Once in a while, a project comes along where the architect plays the role of a narrator to represent and recreate a dialogue between the past and the present. This 100-year-old ancestral property, with a four-generation-old legacy, was that project for us. We reserved four months before the actual site work began to study the native materials of the region, understand the local craftsmanship and scan the by-lanes of the ancient Mattancherry market. We also visited dilapidated houses in and around Kochi and salvaged their old woodwork to use in this project. Our objective was to go back in time to create a design that remains timeless. We refurbished the old and brought in some new, making the home a juxtaposition of the past and the present; an ode to bygone memories,” says Rahul Das Menon, principal architect and co-founder of studio TAB.
A stone pathway guides visitors inward from the main gate. A sweep of green lawn and a petite pond border the pathway on the left, while a roofed car park stands to the right.
“The house, as a structure, was remodelled 40 years ago,” says Ojas Chaudhari, principal architect and co-founder with Menon. “Then, in 2018, the ground floor was devastated by the Kerala floods, with water engulfing the property up to a height of nearly 7 feet. Almost all the furniture, walls and heirloom items, preserved in the family for decades, were destroyed. We started off by identifying the areas with structural damage. We collaborated with structural and civil engineering teams to provide additional bracing and supports to the existing load-bearing structure. We proposed a few extensions to the layout to accommodate the clients’ requirements. Since the floods hadn’t affected the upper floor, the clients decided to redo only the ground floor of the home.”
Find an architect on Houzz professionals
“The house, as a structure, was remodelled 40 years ago,” says Ojas Chaudhari, principal architect and co-founder with Menon. “Then, in 2018, the ground floor was devastated by the Kerala floods, with water engulfing the property up to a height of nearly 7 feet. Almost all the furniture, walls and heirloom items, preserved in the family for decades, were destroyed. We started off by identifying the areas with structural damage. We collaborated with structural and civil engineering teams to provide additional bracing and supports to the existing load-bearing structure. We proposed a few extensions to the layout to accommodate the clients’ requirements. Since the floods hadn’t affected the upper floor, the clients decided to redo only the ground floor of the home.”
Find an architect on Houzz professionals
The main door opens into an informal living room, where a traditional swing with antique-motif brass clamps takes centre stage. A rustic exposed-brick wall, highlighted by a Tanjore painting, backgrounds the swing, while casual floor seating supplies a spot to lounge on lazy evenings.
See how a brick wall stands out in a way no plain wall can
See how a brick wall stands out in a way no plain wall can
“The informal living room renders a timeless vibe which resonates with the grandmother and represents her childhood memories of this house. The swing was repurposed from an antique teakwood table. The use of traditional materials such as locally sourced Cherai teak wood, jungle pine, Athangudi tiles, natural washed grey stone and cane mats across the house help keep the essence of Kerala alive. All the walls are either coated with lime plaster or with pigmented stain. Some have exposed brickwork,” says Menon.
Tanjore artwork: Dr. Vidya P.
Find an architect to design your home from the houzz directory
Tanjore artwork: Dr. Vidya P.
Find an architect to design your home from the houzz directory
The informal living room morphs into the formal living area, where the walls are defined by a traditional lime-plaster finish. A U-shaped seating layout, composed of turquoise sofas and lemon-yellow armchairs, skirts the edges of the room. The intricately hand-carved wooden coffee table, a 75-year-old heirloom, serves as the focal point of the room.
“We attempted to keep the aesthetic natural. We explored reclaimed natural wood, adopted the long-lost technique of lime finish on walls, and used woven fabrics and cane as design elements. We involved local artisans and craftsmen in creating the furniture,” Chaudhari says.
Sofas and single seaters: Magari Furniture Studio
“We attempted to keep the aesthetic natural. We explored reclaimed natural wood, adopted the long-lost technique of lime finish on walls, and used woven fabrics and cane as design elements. We involved local artisans and craftsmen in creating the furniture,” Chaudhari says.
Sofas and single seaters: Magari Furniture Studio
A floor tableau, emblazoned with handmade Athangudi tiles and framed by wood and brass borders, marks the transition from the formal living room to the dining room beyond. On this stands a retractable screen, made of fluted glass and restored teakwood panels, which offers the option of separating the living and dining zones when required. A television unit foregrounds the screen.
“The panels were made from reclaimed wood damaged by the floods,” notes Menon.
Look at more photos of living rooms on Houzz
“The panels were made from reclaimed wood damaged by the floods,” notes Menon.
Look at more photos of living rooms on Houzz
The dining room lies on the other side of the screen. A teakwood dining table, bordered by rib-backed chairs, lies at its heart. An olive lime-plastered wall with natural pigmented colour sweeps the length of the room, counterbalancing the rusticity of the solid wood table.
“The dining table is fashioned from solid teakwood and has been in the family for several decades. We redesigned the tabletop and incorporated a stained-glass panel along its length. We engaged a local glass artist to execute this design,” says Chaudhari.
Here’s how to partition your living room from your dining room
“The dining table is fashioned from solid teakwood and has been in the family for several decades. We redesigned the tabletop and incorporated a stained-glass panel along its length. We engaged a local glass artist to execute this design,” says Chaudhari.
Here’s how to partition your living room from your dining room
The open-plan kitchen lies adjacent to the dining area. A grey distressed-wood finish characterises the cabinetry, offsetting the warm ochre of the Jaisalmer stone backsplash. An L-shaped counter defines the cooking area, culminating in a cooktop peninsula. Bar stools stand to the right and left of the cooktop, providing a perch for Sunday morning breakfasts fresh off the griddle.
Browse through more kitchen design ideas
Browse through more kitchen design ideas
“There was a requirement of two kitchens. This one is the dry kitchen, which overlooks the dining zone,” says Menon.
Want to squeeze a breakfast bar into your kitchen?
Want to squeeze a breakfast bar into your kitchen?
Since the house is occupied only by the couple (their daughters live overseas), the designers chose to marry up the small rooms to turn them into larger usable spaces. By the same token, they transformed two small erstwhile bedrooms into one large master bedroom. Lime-plastered walls make a reappearance in this bedroom, which hosts two distinct zones: one for resting, and the other for reading. Wooden floor panels indicate the former, where a four-poster bed takes pride of place.
“The four-poster bed is an attempt to recreate the master bed that the great-grandfather used during his lifetime,” says Chaudhari.
“The four-poster bed is an attempt to recreate the master bed that the great-grandfather used during his lifetime,” says Chaudhari.
The reading zone is highlighted by a midnight-blue plastered wall. A blush-pink lounge chair and a complementary bench serve to diffuse the boldness of the backdrop.
Make space for a cosy lounge area in your bedroom
Make space for a cosy lounge area in your bedroom
Opposite the bed, a modish sideboard serves as a television unit. A classic teakwood armoire stands to its left. Vintage-style ceramic knobs, sourced from the Fort Kochi market, adorn both pieces, conjuring a sense of cohesion between the new-world and old-world aesthetics.
“The master bedroom is an ode to the traditional use of cane and bamboo as decor elements. We used the help of local craftsmen to create the finely woven cane decor,” Menon says.
“The master bedroom is an ode to the traditional use of cane and bamboo as decor elements. We used the help of local craftsmen to create the finely woven cane decor,” Menon says.
With each switch ensconced in its own gilded holder, the switchboards in all the bedrooms channel a subtle silent-movie-era charm.
The master bathroom features an ash-grey backsplash and a circular backlit mirror. The sink is underpinned by wood-panelled storage units.
Wooden decor and lime plaster finishes dominate the guest bedroom. Here, a wood-framed royal-blue tufted headboard and wooden footboard and nightstands further the organic ambience. Carved bamboo pendants flank the bed, nodding to the home’s heritage.
“The pendants were revived from a pair of wooden posts lying damaged on the property. The furniture details have been inspired by vernacular techniques. The bamboo and cane panels allow natural ventilation in the room,” says Chaudhari.
Read more:
Mumbai Houzz: This 40th-Storey Den Bridges the Sky and the Sea
Houzz Tour: A Contemporary Pool House Nestled in Rural Bengal
Tell us:
What did you like most about this home? Tell us in Comments below.
Read more:
Mumbai Houzz: This 40th-Storey Den Bridges the Sky and the Sea
Houzz Tour: A Contemporary Pool House Nestled in Rural Bengal
Tell us:
What did you like most about this home? Tell us in Comments below.
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The switch boards💜
LOVE THE PLAY OF COLOURS AND YES THE SWITCH BOARD
Love it