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    This Chennai home by House of Lines reminisces the roots of South India with a dash of modernity and terracotta

    APR 21, 2023 | By Dyumni Pandit
    The living room houses soft tones blending with natural materials. The low teak wood sofa’s base extends into a bespoke side table as the furniture faces the big mild steel television. The bespoke centre table and bench sit on a subtle-toned rug. The sofa, centre table, and bench are by Dhruv Amin, Tectona Grandis Furniture; Photographs by Yash R Jain
    The brown symmetric wall panelling adds a different texture and material to the mix. Matte black mild steel designs adorn the wall as it overlooks the hallway. Terracotta tiles are from Affa Tiles; Photographs by Yash R Jain

    A wave of cool, gentle air embraces as one enters the apartment, leaving the hot and humid Chennai outside. Terracotta lines the walls to guard the 2,200 sq ft home from the heat as other functional, vernacular elements complement it. With its minimal tones and natural materials in an intricate combination, Anshuk Punmia, Principal Architect, House of Lines, revives the authenticity of Indian design with a modern touch.

    The brown teak wood door with black mild steel minimal handles stands between the symmetrically designed blocks of terracotta tiles by Affa Tiles; Photographs by Yash R Jain

    The curious brief

    “The brief was straightforward. We had to design a minimal home and use only natural elements. So, the idea was simple. We had to keep the house functional to remind the owners of their roots and add modernity to it,” says Anshuk.

    Experimenting with various natural textures like linen, cotton and terracotta, the home also bundles up materials like mild steel to echo the blend of urban and authentic. Clay tiles adorn the interior walls, standing as a contrasting element in the home to draw one into the rest of the larger spaces.

    The beauty of single materiality continues in every turn of the house with teakwood and earthy hints; Photographs by Yash R Jain

    Tour every turn of this home

    The elevator opens to a tall teak wood door with mild steel grills in matte black with a personalised minimal handle. The bespoke door unveils a rapturing foyer area that also exudes the visuals of teak wood panel.

    A quirky patterned set of pillows lounges on the subtle-coloured sofa, making it seem like the perfect spot for rested afternoon naps. Although spacious, the interiors of the living room make it feel snug and comfortable.

    The low teak wood base of the L-shaped sofa extends into a side table where a glass vase perches securely. A long wooden centre table sits in the centre. All the furniture faces a brown panelled wall with a sleek big screen. Symmetric blocks adorn the brown wall, bringing a sense of order and serenity in the home. The living room leads to the study room, adjacent to which sits an attractive open kitchen.

    The door directly opens into the spacious living room. Subtle shades of pink pop against the backdrop of greys and beige with wooden furniture. The sofa, centre table, and bench are from the Pebble Series by Dhruv Amin, Tectona Grandis Furniture. Linen curtains by De décor cover the windows; Photographs by Yash R Jain

     

    The bespoke bench stands in the living room, exemplifying minimalism. The Pebble series designed by Dhruvkant Amin of Tectona Grandis Furniture adorns the walls, fitting perfectly with the home’s themes and aesthetic; Photographs by Yash R Jain

    The black granite counter runs around the kitchen as similar shades of grey and brown adorn it. A breakfast counter top is attached to the counter for some Sunday brunch. To allow easy mobility in the passageway, the chairs hide under the counter. The kitchen sticks to the minimalism theme with its terracotta shade shutters with concealed handles.

    The open kitchen houses a black granite counter. It has minimal terracotta shade shutters with concealed handles. The tall wooden breakfast counter serves as a small space for some piping hot breakfast every morning for the family to bond; Photographs by Yash R Jain

     

    The hallway opens into the living room while branching into the kitchen on one side and dining room on the other that opens into a balcony. Terracotta tiles by Affa Tiles adorn the walls while paints with melamine finish by ICA complete the look; Photographs by Yash R Jain

    The dining area stands opposite the kitchen and opens into a beautiful balcony peering at the hustle of Chennai. The hallway opens into the master bedroom on one side and the children’s bedroom on the other.

    Each bedroom houses a distinct colour scheme. A coffered ceiling pattern on the wall backsplashes the shades of elegant pastel pink on the bed. Minimalistic door knobs blend into the tall solid wood wardrobes to make a unified panel. Pink frames around the bed highlight its essence.

    The bedroom houses the same panelling that appears across the home. Terracotta tiles are from Affa Tiles. The linen curtains by De décor and paints with Melamine Finish from ICA add to the minimalist furniture in the room; Photographs by Yash R Jain

    Ideas to bookmark

    With thematic influences from Japanese architecture, the sober canvas of the home maintains the honesty of every material used, muses the architect. Vernacular materials, close to the Indian sub-continent add a cultural vocabulary to the home. Earth and warm shades blend into the wall, while hues of grey, beige and wood merge perfectly with the typically rich colour of terracotta. And finally, sleek matte black furniture ties the home together. The palette choice reminds one of the outdoors and nature, something lost in the concrete jungle of high-rise apartments.

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