From courtyard to canopy in Wayanad

Aanai Design Studio imagines a retreat attuned to climate and tropical modernism

13 May 2026

A wooden door carved into a weathered wall frames the arrival. Deep verandahs and open thresholds dissolve into the landscape. This is the scene-setting that a home in Wayanad visually prepares you to experience going further in. Set along the edge of a forested corridor in Kerala, the 2,530 sq ft residence unfolds as a series of tropical discoveries designed by architect Gayathri Padmam H, Founder and Creative Director of Aanai Design Studio.

Beyond a curved laterite wall, the home reveals itself as stepped volumes, negotiating the natural slope of the land. Low-slung roofs, lime-washed walls and brick volumes emerge from the terrain. Attuned to climate and a reverence for artisanal craft, the home weaves through courtyards, corridors and shaded edges, inviting the forest as its active companion.

“Climatic responsiveness was central to the concept, with the house designed to be naturally cooled through a large roof structure that promotes cross-ventilation”

Gayathri Padmam H

The curved brick wall is punctuated by a timber arched doorway; Photography by Syam Sreesylam

Living finds rhythm

Imagined as an escape from the city, the home adapts the language of a contemporary farmhouse. At every turn, the house draws the landscape inward. Large openings overlook expansive views of the forest. As Gayathri notes, “Climatic responsiveness was central to the concept, with the house designed to be naturally cooled through a large roof structure that promotes cross-ventilation.” Realised by the team, including Smrithi Madhu, Sudrashni Sadasivam, Deepika DJ, Sujan Yadav and Abijith Vinod, the home features a split-level layout. These planes lend a spatial rhythm to the home.

The entry pathway leads into a central living space with cane-backed seating and patterned upholstery.

It spills into an open kitchen and dining area, tucked under a double-height, sloping roof. Emerging from the roofline, the chimney becomes a focal point. Its traditional form adds nostalgia to the home’s silhouette.

Set beneath a double-height tiled roof, the kitchen and dining area come together in an open volume; Photography by Syam Sreesylam

The sunlit living area balances vintage charm and comfort with patterned upholstery, cane furniture and yellow drapes. Lime plaster finish by Earthly Yours; Photography by Syam Sreesylam

Shared spaces for the family and pet

The shared areas extend into shaded outdoor spaces. Private zones branch out within this spatial layout. A guest bedroom and a master suite are accompanied by a walk-in wardrobe and an attached bath. The study, defined by a bay window, doubles as a reading nook within the home. At the centre, an internal courtyard forms the heart of the home, channelling light and ventilation while creating shaded outlooks across the home. Open to the sky, it is designed as a free space for the family’s pet to wander around but within.

Towards the rear, shaded corridors run along the edge of the home, forming a transitional layer between the interiors and the surrounding greens. They extend outward, connecting the living spaces to a pool and the dense forest beyond. In doing so, every space remains spatially tethered to its context, each shaped by expansive openings that draw in the natural backdrop.

A shaded corridor runs beneath a pitched roof. Pattern tiles are by Paradise Stile Studio; Photography by Syam Sreesylam

The wood-framed canopy bed anchors the room, set against lime-washed walls. Curtains by Aruvi and bed by Tusker Katha; Photography by Syam Sreesylam

Of lime and laterite

The home’s material palette draws directly from its environment, favouring locally sourced materials. Laterite walls, lime-plastered surfaces and stone flooring enable an earthy base. These materials, paired with Kota stone, span across indoor and outdoor spaces, blurring transitions between the built form and the landscape. Terracotta reds, lime whites and deep browns echo the tones of the surrounding landscape. Within this framework, variations in finish lend depth to the spaces. Oxide floors with a soft sheen, plastered walls with irregularities and Mangalore roof tiles introduce a textural pattern. These elements work alongside the architecture, reinforcing the home’s intimacy.

In the kitchen, this earthy base is enlivened with a touch of colour through hand-painted tiles. Hints of green and faded blue appear through these tiles. The wooden cabinetry and open shelving keep the space warm and functional.

Textiles play a key role in softening the architecture. Block-printed curtains, woven blinds and natural fibres introduce richness and craftsmanship. Details like bamboo screens and vetiver panels infuse texture and a faint, earthy aroma. Sandy beiges, burnt siennas and greys in the home create a grounded hue palette, allowing texture and craftsmanship to take precedence.

Bathed in ochre hues, the bathroom pairs sculpted plaster surfaces with wood and brass accents, and pendant lights by IKEA, creating a compact space; Photography by Syam Sreesylam

The home stretches horizontally beneath sloping tiled roofs; Photography by Syam Sreesylam

Held within the landscape

The home’s strength lies in how carefully it edits the relationship between shelter and wilderness. Rather than framing nature as scenery, the architecture positions it as a constant spatial presence filtering through verandahs, courtyards and shaded corridors. Generous ceiling heights and a sloping roof not only define the silhouette but also aid passive cooling, keeping the spaces naturally comfortable.

Around it, the vegetation is left largely undisturbed. An elevated deck hovers over the landscape, wrapping around a mature tree that rises through a cut-out in the flooring. The home absorbs the textures, tones and rhythms of the landscape. In doing so, it allows nature to take precedence, with architecture acting as a frame rather than the focal point.

Read more: The nature of Thrissur