On a lovely summer day, my clients invited me to go see their villa, La Serenite, on Serenity Beach, Pondicherry. Even though this modernist home was in the most dilapidated condition, I may have fallen in love instantly! We’ve used a full-bodied tile in the mud room area with flooring of black cudapah & white marble in a diamond pattern. The ceiling is in a gridwork of American sal wood. The floor and the ceiling are completely inspired by Geoffrey Bawa. The mud room has a pine wood wall cladding. The sliding door on the left leads to the children’s room with a micro cement floor.
Earthy Aesthetics Complimenting Tropical Modernist Home in Pondicherry | Hohm Design Studio
Visit: Hohm Design Studio
The pool hut was the focal point of the house with its highlight being the rattan sheet ceiling held with a teak wood rafter framework, adding the coastal feel.
The spacious 6500 sq.ft structure with aluminum partitions, exposed pipelines, and the most random paint shades on the walls, gave me an opportunity to be at my creative best! Our very busy doctor clients wanted the villa to be made into their private staycation home. Giving them that was my life for the next 6 months!
The entrance verandah of the home with its heritage pillars, wooden ceiling, traditional barge board, and athangudi tiles is the perfect lazing spot for our furry friends of the family.
What appealed to me was the beautiful outdoor spaces available along with the dreamy sunrises and sunset views of the beach. The shell was that of a heritage Kerala home with traditional rosewood doors and we decided to use that to our advantage to complement the earthy aesthetic. The living room with its black and white flooring and framework ceiling made with American Sal wood pays a tribute to the Bawa aesthetic.
The cushioned lounge beds and micro cement high dining table is the ideal spot to entertain as all 10 openings from this area open into the outdoor pool and garden areas.
Someone I took great inspiration from was Geoffrey Bawa’s concept of ‘tropical modernism’ with the added elements of the Kerala antiquities. Blurring the boundaries between the indoor and outdoor spaces broke the dark overtone and instilled it with natural light.
Most of the furniture, light, and decor pieces we have used in this project are created by various boutique stores and units of Auroville, thus contributing to consuming local talent, which is a big part of our design philosophy.
The master bedroom is made more like a suite room category of any five-star resort, including its very own tea area (with expansive views of the beach), a large dressing area, an outdoor open-to-sky shower area, and a spacious bathroom.
The bar and powder room have a French influence keeping in sync with the colonial feel of Pondicherry.
This modernist home on the beach is the perfect holiday home to unwind, hear the waves splash, and watch the perfect sunsets.
Fact File
Designed by: Hohm Design Studio
Project Type: Residence Architecture & Design
Project Name: LA Serenite
Location: Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu
Year Built: 2022
Duration of project: 9 Months
Project Size: 6500 Sq.ft
Project Cost Appx: 1.7 Cr
Principal Architect: Sonal Chordia
Photograph Courtesy: Shamanth Patil
Firm’s Instagram Link: Hohm Design Studio
Firm’s Facebook Link: Hohm Design Studio
For Similar Project>>>Experience Luxurious Healing at this Ayurveda Clinic in Ahmedabad
The site is located in Ahilyanagar town of Maharashtra, with a design brief of 7,000 sq feet, while the house had to be designed for the hot and dry climate, which responds carefully to extreme temperatures, intense sunlight, and low humidity. The design focuses on reducing heat gain, improving natural ventilation, and creating comfortable indoor spaces with […]
“Pravah” — A House That Breathes is envisioned as the main concept of this home revolves around a fluid, light-filled home where architecture becomes a continuous experience of movement, air, and connection. Located in Pal Gamtal, Surat, the project is a residential redevelopment on a 1,850 sq.ft. plot within a dense urban fabric. The site, […]
SapanoUday is a contemporary residence that balances material rawness with layered textures and crafted detail, aligning modern living with cultural and spatial sensibilities. Designed by Hundreddesigns, the home responds closely to the client’s routines and artistic inclinations while thoughtfully integrating Vastu principles. HundredDesigns The designers defined the architecture through a minimal palette, using exposed concrete […]
KRIPA is a residence that reflects the personality and lifestyle of its homeowner — calm, open, and rooted in nature. The project focuses on creating light-filled, green spaces with minimal private zones, encouraging openness and connection. In a time when spaces are shrinking but expectations are rising, architecture becomes the medium to bridge this gap […]
The Sculpted Sanctuary is a masterclass in modern minimalist design. The project focuses on “Quiet Luxury”. It is the idea that a space doesn’t need bright colors or flashy decor to feel expensive. Instead, it uses raw natural materials, rich textures, and sharp architectural lines. This Home Is A Masterclass In Modern Minimalist Design | […]
SIDHARTHA, is a four-bedroom modern house which is functional and aesthetic driven by the specific needs of the client. The location of the site is in a dense neighbourhood in Bengaluru, India. The contemporary urban dwelling frequently negotiates competing demands. It balances generous daylight and visual connection to the street with privacy, dust control, and […]
Located in HMT Layout, Bangalore, Isha_Srinidhi Nilaya stands as a multi-generational home designed on a compact 60×40 ft (2400 sq. ft) East facing plot, with a total built-up area of 8000 sq. ft. East Facing a lush public park, the residence responds to its urban setting through a layered design that balances privacy with a […]
Timeless architectural features, such as courtyards, are always associated with bringing the naturally public forms to the world’s heart, building the most peaceful, secluded outdoor areas. These outdoor spaces maximize the living experience with their private space feature, which gives one the option for leisurely relaxation, recreation, or gardening. Furthermore, it has also been a […]
The Indian farmhouse accommodation goes on to capitalize on a mature evolutionary synthesis of ancestral aesthetics and contemporary features. With this, the outside and the inside of farmhouses became places of comfort with nature. In this blog, we delve into 15 incredible farmhouse designs that entail a harmonious blending. While they exhibit different spaces in […]
Plants for home garden, apart from making houses look more beautiful and inviting, add health and calmness to them. Having any kind of indoor plant, a herb plant or a flowering plant adds some value to your decor and the quality of the space. Always choose plants that will flourish in your space and climate. […]