Indie Tales, a 2 story house design in Pondicherry stays true to its identity stands apart with its unparalleled charm amidst a narrow conservative neighborhood. This abode embraces a quiet reflection of modern lifestyle and traditional nuances within a limited budget for an intimate family of 5 across 3 generations.

The residence evolves as an experiment to finding creative solutions to deliver a functional yet aesthetical structure by incorporating cost-effective techniques and solutions at every step of the process. As a team we believe that design aesthetics and planning can and should evolve from any given budget. This exciting journey was an intersection between design, art, and affordability. 

Editor’s Note: “The exquisite combination of modern lifestyle and traditional nuances is witnessed in the design of this residence in Pondicherry. The elegant brick block in harmonious connection with the white and grey shades of the facade creates an exciting intersection between creativity and functionality. With the intricate planning of the interiors and meticulous attention to detail, this abode draws inspiration from the core Indian elements and emanates elegance in the most subtle ways.” ~Simran Khare

A 2 Story House Design In Pondicherry Stays True To Its Identity | House of Design Stories

The two levelled residence portrays a humble outlook with a brick block featuring angles and recessions, sandwiched between metal lined concrete plates atop a solid white block. A grey exposed brick wall precedes the house creating a harmonious interplay of brick, white and grey. The boundary wall’s exposed brick jaali has worked as an affordable design solution, also acting as a statement to the main block.

The entrance to the plot has combined with the parking, which together has a metal canopy. This metal roof converts itself into a habitable terrace to the first-floor master bedroom. Entrance pathway is an extension of the porch which is intentionally narrow, creating a sense of intimacy reminiscent of a traditional residence. Adding to the charm is the metal pergola, Kadapa and tropics. There is a careful infusion of rustiness by creating patchy grass in between Kadapa strips. Traditional jaali work accents the planter along the way enhancing the feel further.

The entrance also holds a beautifully carved vengai wooden door with brass inlays. Venghai emits a warm tone by nature perfectly suiting the traditional set up. All the openings adorn this beautiful tone of wood. Most of the venghai wood salvages from old houses, which on a positive side exhibited different shades throughout the house enhancing its beauty.

There is an intricate planning of the Interiors and styling at every stage of the construction process, seamlessly blending with the overall design. Traditional household materials were converted into its artistic form. The entrance wall features “10 frames of elegance” an interior décor solution handcrafted with wood, cotton saree and locally sourced printing blocks.

The focus was to create a well-connected node within the house. Thus, the living room has a double height to allow multi-level interactions. This house allows for a breezy and bright ambiance with well-planned out large openings.

The north wall brings in soft north light casting soft shadows onto the muted palette of the living room. Drawing inspiration from our ancestral homes a band of contrast bottle green runs across the spaces.

The living room is thoughtfully kept rustic and earthy. The accent wall, inspired by our traditional south Indian saree’s pallu (border of an attire worn by Indian ladies). Bricks and wooden carved panels adorn the border, while framed pieces of woven grass mat (a household material) fill the central solid surface. The filler slab ceiling of the living involves patterns too. The gray dome shaped light fixtures beautifully compliment the concrete finished surface and the earthen pots.

This level of the residence opens up to the pooja, kitchen and the bedrooms branching out from the living area. The prayer room is given a redefinition by the way it is designed. The pooja space with its abundance of natural light from the north and east along with its artistically adorned manjal (yellow) door creates a bright and auspicious ambiance. This door portrays a beautiful pichwai painting adding to the divinity. The addition of a bench positioned in front of a large window allows for a unique experience, surrounded by both indoor and outdoor tropics, resulting in a refreshing and revitalizing temple.

Our open kitchen boasts a unique and economical modular setup, that seamlessly blends traditional and modern design elemtents. Just like a traditional kitchen, the lower storage features brick partitions paired contemporary modular fittings and kadappa shelves.

The visually striking kitchen utilizes oxide, a traditional finishing technique, which adds a touch of sophistication to the masonry surfaces, particularly the bold black colour scheme in combination with wood. A breakfast table is a part of the kitchen, catering to the family’s practical needs, while maintaining a stylish design.

One level up the first floor holds one bedroom and multiple terraces. The terraces wrap in the north, west and south facia. The north and the west terraces are vertically connect the living. It creates a buffer from the surrounding plots to maintain the light and ventilation into the great room.

The yellow bedroom is a vibrant and artistic space, adorned with exquisite pichwai and madhubani paintings depicting Indian culture.

The color yellow is complimented by varying shades of gray on the walls and flooring, creating a harmonious balance.

The master bedrooms have been meticulously designed with careful attention to detail. Both bedrooms span full height windows to keep the space well-lit and ventilated. Louvred windows allow for gentle filtering of harsh southern sunlight.

The beige bedroom exudes a sense of tranquility with its light tones and accents of blue oxide for the wardrobes. The custom designed wardrobe shutters feature embroidered art on fabric adding a touch of elegance.

The choice of the lotus flower and the color blue enhances the calming ambiance. The study area seamlessly blends into the space, providing ample storage space within the mother wall. The room opens up to a spacious south terrace allowing for plenty natural light.

The corridor leads out to the earthy west terrace. The large sliding doors with fluted glass allows soft, ambient light into the living room in the evenings. It is a partly covered terrace, serving as a versatile informal living throughout the year. This versatile outdoor space features a mix of raw textures from exposed brick jaali, exposed concrete ceiling, to Kadapa flooring and a sleek metal pergola which is a perfect romance to experience.

The north terrace has been designed with a covered thinnai connected to the living room window, allowing the family a prime view from the living room.

The house as a whole embraces’ elements of Indianess, gracefully depicting our culture and adding a touch of traditional charm. The careful combination of colors, textures and artwork create a truly inviting and unique residence.

Fact File

Designed by: House of Design Stories

Project Type: Residential Architecture & Interior Design

Project Name: Indie Tales

Location: Pondicherry, India

Year Built: 2023

Duration of the project: 1 Year

Plot Area: 2400 Sq.ft

Built-up Area: 1700 Sq.ft

Project Cost: 65 Lakhs

Principal Architects: Ar. Arul Maniyan & Ar. Anu Krithika

Photograph Courtesy: chidambram_photo

Products / Materials / Vendors: Wallcovering / Cladding – Brick tiles, REB Industries / Lighting – Light Matters / Furniture – Reclaimed / Flooring – Kota / Paint – Asian Paints / Artefacts – HODS / Wallpaper – Life n colors / Hardware – Abirami marbles / Soft Furnishing – Yellow Dwelling / Handles – Indianshelf

Consultants for the Project: Civil contractor – Bathemavathy Constructions / Structure Engineers –Er. Seralathan / Lighting Designers – House of Design Stories / Project Managers – Er. John Devid / Site Engineer – Er. Manoj / Interior Styling – House of Design Stories

Firm’s Website Link: House of Design Stories

Firm’s Instagram Link: House of Design Stories

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