Built from the memories of heritage

In Bengaluru, The Design Corner crafts a home rooted in Chettinad influences

21 Jul 2026

The homeowners, Lavanya and Subbu, of their residence in Bengaluru sought a space that read like an animated collage of the lives the couple had built: their memories, a shared reverence for craftsmanship and the experiences that gave them anecdotes to share. Time, distance and travels: for Priya Shankar, founder and principal architect at The Design Corner, these held value. Given that her outlook is shaped by the many cities she called home across the world during the years spent studying and the practice of architectural design. These learnings also found their most honest expression back home — anchored in creating new-age living spaces that carry the weight of heritage, craftsmanship and traditional materials.

Though situated deep within the bustle of the Garden City, this 3,375 sq ft apartment feels like an immersion into another time and place. For the homeowners, the four-bedroom residence had to move beyond a singular design language. What they desired was far more intimate, or better yet, inimitable.

“The stone’s omnipresent canvas is paired with vibrant, yellow Athangudi tiles that bring contrast, pattern and character to the rooms"

Priya Shankar

Elements such as the bracket-style rafters and wood pillars, the latter sourced from Dhakshini Antiques, champion the home’s Chettinad-inspired influences; Photography by Shine Parsana

BUILT TO BELONG

For inspiration, Priya looked to her clients as her north star. “This home is deeply rooted in heritage and a way of living that reflects a family who loves travel, nature and an enduring sense of tradition. Here, Chettinad influences blend with warmth and functionality, creating spaces that feel lived-in,” she says.

Rather than borrowing isolated motifs, the apartment embraces Chettinad’s spirit through its material vocabulary: a montage of rich texture and bold cameos of colour. “Raw, leather-finish Kota stone forms a muted, earthy base across the home,” Priya adds. “The stone’s omnipresent canvas is paired with vibrant, yellow Athangudi tiles that bring contrast, pattern and character to the rooms.” This intentional layering of hues and finishes grounds the home in an unmistakably Indian sensibility, a throughline of the studio’s projects.

IN COLOUR AND TEXTURE

Stepping into the apartment feels akin to crossing an invisible threshold — the city’s pace left behind entirely. The layout bears an almost cinematic quality, spaces conceived as an unrushed disclosure, an ode to the slow unfolding of traditional Tamil Nadu homes. Carefully positioned doorways and passages become more than transitional elements, framing sightlines, encouraging togetherness and lending the house an ancient sense of ritual.

The modular kitchen, crafted in collaboration with Zenia Kitchens and Wardrobes, embraces a playful layering of colours and textures — Kota flooring embedded with Athangudi tiles, paired with deep green cabinetry; Photography by Shine Parsana

A reading alcove rests just behind the living area, the space marked out by a spread of Athangudi tiles underfoot and the lofty bookcase stacked with the couple’s collection; Photography by Shine Parsana

The foyer, its floors tinged a bright ochre by Athangudi tiles patterned with turquoise blooms, offers the first glimpse of the home’s character while drawing one into the formal living area. The room’s expansive, near-square volume flickers to life around the conversation space: a vision in wood and cane, reminiscent of unhurried, balmy afternoons. Temple-inspired beams run along the home’s central axis, choreographing movement. “The striking wooden bracket-style rafters create long, layered walkways flanking the large living volume. This adds rhythm, depth and a feeling of procession within,” Priya highlights.

MATERIAL MEMORY

Patterned glass transoms in jewel tones of amber, green and milky white emerge as markers of nostalgia across the communal spaces, recalling the stained-glass detailing found in heritage homes. Paired with spindles, these fixtures underpin the project’s penchant for artisanal details. The dining area makes for a compelling example, Priya notes, “Here, wood pillars and curated artwork underscore the authenticity of the interior scheme. The circulation along both sides of the dining area leads into the family room, reinforcing the spatial experience of time-honoured houses.” The deep green kitchen cabinetry serves as a fitting counterpoint, its ‘carpet’ of yellow Athangudi tiles injecting colour into the stone floors.

Bedrooms in the apartment become private studies in nuance and colour, where wood, richly hued textiles and artwork converge to give each room its own register. In an era relentlessly drawn to the new, this dwelling’s soul lies in the conversations between its many parts — old and new, memory and everyday life — not a return to the past, but its living continuation.