Planned around rigid Vastu guidelines, the structure is a bold mass broken down by the horizontal slab lines and lightness of the terracotta screens.
Terracotta transitions
The house holds three floors, a stilt and two upper floors as a duplex. The south facade is bare mass with a long balcony for the master bedroom screened at intervals with the terracotta jaali, and a pergola washed blank wall with some greens adding to the drama. The northern facade has two large verandahs on each floor, one becomes an entrance lobby and the other is an extension to the lounge on the second floor.
The rear north eastern facade is a playful cantilevered mass overlooking a vacant property with terracotta screens defining the private and semi private areas of the verandahs. The occasional greens peeping out from behind the screens add to the tropical visual of the facade.
Nature’s greetings
The house boasts of an Indian modern design language with occasional use of brass finished elements along with the finely detailed woodwork. Bold yet mildly used furniture pieces, splashes of the earthy terracotta cladding, carefully chosen finishes and textures narrate the vibrant and sophisticated lives of the users.
A foyer greets upon entry to the sprawling open floor plan, with a seamless living, dining and the kitchen. A large sliding partition ensures privacy and segregation between the living and the dining when needed. A parents room in the lower floor, with its window seating and a cozy study, overlooks the lush greens outside. One is greeted by a skylit lobby on the upper level of the house, which houses two bedrooms and a lounge area.
Celebrating Indian craftsmanship
The expansive master bedroom is stylishly organized with a brass finished screen that divides the bed area on entry. With its herringbone patterned wooden floor, the splashes of brass and intricate woodwork, a gorgeous walk-in closet and a skylit bathroom, the Master suite is an epitome of uncluttered grandeur, tastefully composed to break down the expansive space to areas of seating, sleeping and study.
A bedroom for the twin sons is a composition of rust finishes and burned wooden floor finish adding a dark yet quirky vibrance.
The Lounge, set in a dark cozy mood, with flaky concrete finished floor, black polished wood finishes and offbeat furniture pieces, is a space that is totally in contrast with the otherwise colorful and vibrant home. Furniture details infused with stone veneers, streaking teak wood beadings and rattan weaves induce the sense of traditional Indian craftsmanship.
With its curvy edges and intricate craftsmanship, the residence is a fruit of artisanal works, resonating a colorful yet earthy ambiance, tingling the senses at every interval with its varied yet composed elements.
Fact file:
Name of the project: Tropical Melody
Location: Belgaum, Karnataka
Type: Residential Architecture and Interior Design
Design firm: Jalihal Associates
Lead designer: Juned Jalihal
Photography: Shamanth Patil
