Tiruvallur Houzz: A Century-Old Home Becomes a Trad Pied-à-Terre
The homeowners, previously neighbours on adjacent plots, tasked Studio 1008 to create a shared home with a heritage
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: It’s a combined vacation home for two families
Location: Tiruvallur, Tamil Nadu
Year built: 2021
Size: 268 square metres (2880 square feet); 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms
Principal architect: Prem Kumar of Studio 1008
Photos by Senthil Kumar
When presented with a design brief for a century-old ancestral home, Prem Kumar, founder and principal architect of Studio 1008, was struck by an architectural conundrum. “The clients decided to join hands with their neighbours and connect their plot to theirs. In doing so, they could create a larger holiday villa for both families to share. The challenge lay in reimagining the ancestral home, while retaining its traditional value,” says Kumar.
Who lives here: It’s a combined vacation home for two families
Location: Tiruvallur, Tamil Nadu
Year built: 2021
Size: 268 square metres (2880 square feet); 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms
Principal architect: Prem Kumar of Studio 1008
Photos by Senthil Kumar
When presented with a design brief for a century-old ancestral home, Prem Kumar, founder and principal architect of Studio 1008, was struck by an architectural conundrum. “The clients decided to join hands with their neighbours and connect their plot to theirs. In doing so, they could create a larger holiday villa for both families to share. The challenge lay in reimagining the ancestral home, while retaining its traditional value,” says Kumar.
A sheltered car park is located to the left of the gate, while patches of lawn project an organic presence against the surrounding built form. The lawns enclose a tennis court for a friendly game on a weekend.
Find an architect on Houzz
Find an architect on Houzz
The pathway culminates in a flight of steps leading to the front door. Symmetrical verandahs on either side serve as an interlude between the home’s exterior and interior. Tumbled-finish Kota stone, laid in a French pattern, defines the verandah floor.
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“The ornate pillars were made with old teak wood and feature a stone base. The doors and windows are also made of teak wood, while the verandah roofs are composed of steel purlins and Mangalore tile. The verandahs also act as a viewing gallery for the small tennis lawns in the front,” notes Kumar.
The front door opens into the living room, where a hushed colour palette, yellow accent flooring and a gabled roof deliver a quiet and quaint aesthetic.
“The living room is ensconced between the front garden and the courtyard, and therefore, receives open views and ventilation from both sides. Some furniture pieces have been retained and revived from the original bungalow, while others have been sourced from old Chettinad houses,” says Kumar.
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The family room is located on the right of the living room and serves as a tranquil retreat and TV den for the two families. It is minimally outfitted, save for the antique-style wooden furniture that nods to the home’s century-old roots.
To the left of the living room is the open kitchen and dining room. Jaisalmer marble, interlaid with a patterned mosaic of Kota stone, cloaks the floor.
Dining table and chairs: custom-made
Dining table and chairs: custom-made
The sunken courtyard is the home’s centrepiece, both literally and figuratively, per Kumar. A skylight over this semi-enclosed space welcomes natural light in abundance. The flooring is composed of black limestone.
“This is where the families can gather against a backdrop of natural lighting and ventilation. The skylight funnels and scatters daylight throughout the house,” Kumar says.
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“This is where the families can gather against a backdrop of natural lighting and ventilation. The skylight funnels and scatters daylight throughout the house,” Kumar says.
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To the left of the courtyard is the master bedroom. Polished Jaisalmer stone flooring marks the slumber zone, while Kota stone sheaths the surrounding floor.
“The bedroom has a bay window with seating that overlooks the backyard and garden,” says Kumar.
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Tell us:
What did you like most about this home? Tell us in Comments below.
“The bedroom has a bay window with seating that overlooks the backyard and garden,” says Kumar.
Read more:
Chennai Houzz: This Wabi Sabi Inspired Home Is Flawesome
Thrissur Houzz: Parallel Bays Divide & Conquer Spaces Here
Tell us:
What did you like most about this home? Tell us in Comments below.
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