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    Anchored in history and tradition, this Chennai home by Sunita Yogesh is an urban reverie come to life

    JUN 5, 2024 | By Tejal Pednekar
    Replete with natural light, the living room showcasing brick tiles from Nuvocotto gives off a snug vibe reminiscent of South Indian setups. It is made inviting with cohesively placed furniture and decor including a coffee table from Homework Living, a sofa from Dtale Modern, cushions from Anokhi, a swing set from Design ni Dukaan and a floor lamp from Gulmohar Lane; Photography by Phosart Studio
    Sabyasachi’s apricot-tinged botanic wallpaper from Asian Paints is the eye-catching feature of the spacious master bedroom. The bed is from Homework Living, upholstered chairs are from Gulmohar Lane, end table is from The House of Things and table lamps are from The White Teak Company; Photography by Phosart Studio

    For Sunita Yogesh, a person’s home is an embodiment of their identities and proclivities. The founder and design principal of her eponymous design studio reiterates this belief in her recent project where she harnesses family legacy and tradition to conceive an urban oasis in Chennai. 

    The Mumbai-based homeowner informed Sunita Yogesh Studio of a distinctive request — to metamorphose their Chennai property situated in a buzzy neighbourhood into a vacation getaway with the Chettinad heritage at its heart. Owing to this unique brief, Sunita espoused a storyteller’s mindset to shape her design strategy, resulting in a reverent interplay between the past and present.

    Replete with natural light, the living room showcasing brick tiles from Nuvocotto gives off a snug vibe reminiscent of South Indian setups. It is made inviting with cohesively placed furniture and decor including a coffee table from Homework Living, a sofa from Dtale Modern, cushions from Anokhi, a swing set from Design ni Dukaan and a floor lamp from Gulmohar Lane; Photography by Phosart Studio

     

    The living room exhibits a brick wall cladding from Nuvocotto and a coffee table from Homework Living. Its seating area features a sofa from Dtale Modern, cushions from Anokhi and a swing set from Design ni Dukaan; Photography by Phosart Studio

    The Chettinad aesthetic is known for its generous use of space and light alongside bright hues, terracotta tiles, and native craftsmanship, rendering it deeply artistic and palatial. By distilling the quirks of this bygone style, Sunita delicately forges anecdotal touches in this home of a contemporary fabric.

    A walk down the memory lane

    Sprawling across 3,800 square feet, this light-bathed apartment overlooking the Bay of Bengal is nestled in Adyar, an upscale address in Chennai. Its expansive foyer ushers the guests into an integrated living and dining layout. Adorned with a terracotta brick cladding inspired by the quintessential South Indian homes, this free-flowing area engenders a calm and cosy ambiance. 

    The living room chairs and coffee table are from Homework Living while the decor is procured from The Purple Turtles. The custom-made sideboard flaunts the bone inlay technique along with personalised display shelves; Photography by Phosart Studio

     

    The antiquated table and chairs from the owner’s family in Chettinad were retained and refurbished for the Chennai apartment. The JJ Vallaya tile artwork is from FCML India and the accent lights are from The White Teak Company; Photography by Phosart Studio

    To preserve the home’s nostalgic aura, the interiors are embellished with family heirlooms retrieved from the owner’s ancestral residence. Alongside handpicked antique items and artwork chronicling native roots, jewel-tone South Indian hues permeate the space.

    Playing with multiple variations of brown, the media room accommodates a rattan chair and chest from Gulmohar Lane; Photography by Phosart Studio

    Restoration of the client’s heirloom table and chairs for the dining area effortlessly elevate the Chettinad design narrative. This vintage furniture setting is accompanied by elegant ceiling lights that further underscore its beauty.

    Of all the rooms, the designer is particularly pleased with the way the guest bedroom turned out. This placating chamber is accentuated by a traditional Chettinad four-poster bed emblazoned with flora and fauna details on the headboard. 

    The traditional four-poster bed with delicate floral and peacock motifs on its headboard hints at artistry inspired by Chettinad. It is rounded off with comfy bedding from Fabindia and a pair of monochrome table lamps from Gulmohar Lane; Photography by Phosart Studio

     

    Staying true to the primal theme, the guest bedroom houses a Chettinad four-poster bed from Studio Ebony. In addition, it is furnished with a dresser from Dtale Modern, a rust-orange chair from Homework Living and a mirror from Fabindia; Photography by Phosart Studio

    Reviving Chettinad with a contemporary finesse

    For the Chettinad theme to veritably exude, the studio settled on an understated material palette dominated by earthy elements like wood, brick, brass, fabrics, and marble. “By embracing the warmth of teak wood tones throughout the home, we sought to introduce rich, deep colours via upholstery and artwork, adding vibrancy to the spaces,” reveals Sunita.

    The bedroom of the owner’s son features a mid-century tufted couch from Gulmohar Lane. This navy blue chesterfield’s art deco style is offsetted with a premium ivory rug from Jaipur Rugs; Photography by Phosart Studio

    Functionally demarcating the living and dining zones without trading off the open layout aesthetic was quite the challenge. But the designer skillfully pulled it off by interspersing the aforementioned terracotta wall with artful furniture arrangement. 

    Besides the relics of the past, the house is punctuated with statement decor pieces, appending layers of texture to its character. A case in point: the framed tile art by JJ Valaya, intersecting tradition and modernity, serves as a central focal point in the dining area.

    With a comfy settee and chest from Gulmohar Lane, the media room reveals an intricately crafted wooden wall art from The Purple Turtles and floor lamp from The White Teak Company; Photography by Phosart Studio

     

    These tranquil panoramas of Chennai from the 7th floor balcony of the home make a compelling case for evenings spent idly. The outdoor furniture is from Outdoor Connections; Photography by Phosart Studio

    “To further enhance the visual appeal, we incorporated intricate patterns through bone inlay furniture pieces, as well as the striking Sabyasachi wallpaper in the master bedroom,” elaborates Sunita on the distinguishing features underpinning the home’s immaculate expanses. 

    Exemplifying the balance of old and new, this Chennai home celebrates the owner’s familial ties while leveraging them to reimagine modern living. “By infusing elements of their cultural identity and personal history, I sought to craft a space that not only reflects their individuality but also fosters a deep sense of connection and comfort,” proclaims the designer. 

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