Homes

This farmhouse in Tamil Nadu’s Rajapalayam is a labour of love by three generations

The weekend home by The Design Room, located on a 17-acre coconut farm, harks to the past, present and future.
By Vaishnavi Nayel Talawadekar
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Textile designers are well-versed in the art of dyeing with mango leaves, but the tincturing effects of the tropical evergreen, except maybe during festivals, are lost on most architects and interior designers. The architects at Kollam-based The Design Room don’t claim to be the exception. “We learned it the hard way,” laughs principal Nanda Kishor, the we in question being himself and fellow principals Vivin Shankar and Sebastian K. John. It wasn’t until some mango leaves yellowed the grey oxide swimming pool they were designing on a 17-acre coconut farm in Rajapalayam, Tamil Nadu, that the bright young things discovered the bane—and the boon—of operating under a mango tree. “The grey just wouldn’t stick. Leaves and flowers from the mango tree would keep yellowing the finish,” recalls Shankar—so much so that they ultimately defaulted to yellow oxide, deciding that maybe the colour was just meant to be.

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A tropical landscape with breakout spaces for guests and a children’s play area leads to the entrance foyer. The sunken seating area features Pierre Jeanneret’s Chandigarh chairs and an ornate bench.

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The living room is a vision in ochre. Colonial-style seating by Harneet Kaur of Teak ‘N Teak complements a centre table repurposed from a traditional Chettinad column crown. The side table is made from a piece of half-burnt teakwood. The animal murals are by K.G. Narendrababu.

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The foundation was elevated by a metre to match the height of the existing pump, while the irrigation culvert was divided into three levels to enhance the sound of flowing water. At the second level, the culvert extends into a natural swimming pool, which then flows down through the farm.

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Written In The Stars

The sunshine shade may have emerged as a stroke of serendipity, but there was nothing serendipitous about the nature-inspired palette for which it set the stage: bare oxide walls, exposed cement finishes, and natural materials in all their natural glory. As someone with green fingers and a love of nature, Prasanna had always wanted an aesthetic lexicon informed by tropical modern sensibilities. Shankar puts a finer point on the subject. “Our goal was to seamlessly blend the natural landscape of this farmhouse in Tamil Nadu into the design. We wanted to create a harmonious connection between the towering trees, the breathtaking mountain views, the flowing canal water, and the richness of the earth, ensuring that the home not only complements its surroundings but also enhances the experience of living amidst nature,” he shares.

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The outdoors and indoors meet through an earthy atrium, where wooden columns reclaimed from an old bungalow in Kottayam, a fountain handcrafted by local artisans, and a planter from Puducherry evoke a spirit of centuries past.

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The dining area grows out of the kitchen, highlighted by a bespoke Malaysian wood floating table, mango wood bar stools from Pepperfry, and artisanal glass pendants.

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An intricately carved bench from Timber World in Kilpauk, Chennai, takes pride of place in the atrium, which divides the linear plan into public and private zones. The artworks, depicting a local street scene, are by a student from Cholamandalam Art Village.

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Colourful Interludes

The owners—Prasanna Raja, her daughter Vedika Raja, and her son-in-law, Prashanth Chandar—who lived downtown at the time, imagined the home as a placid weekend oasis—free of clamour and craze and clutter, but certainly not of colour. Luckily, so did the architects, although Kishor notes that the process involved a fair measure of tactful restraint. “As avid art enthusiasts and design aficionados, the family had an extensive collection of furniture and objects, but it took some thinking to arrive at what to display and what to not,” he avers, adding that they were careful not to overwhelm the space. If the surfaces are any indication, it’s clear that their approach wasn’t limited to furniture and objects alone. The walls hold a mirror to the nature beyond, through oxide finishes in buttercup yellow, olive green, and earth grey. Nothing is without significance, not least the cement finishes in the swimming pool and central lounge, which the architects likened to the gentle ripples of water. “Each element reflects a connection to the region's traditions, heritage, or natural landscape, and honours the spirit and character of the place,” says Kishor.

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The home’s only bedroom basks in the afternoon afterglow. The client, a passionate art and antiques enthusiast, encouraged the architects to design the interior as a canvas for her collection. “We implemented a rustic backdrop to complement her treasures, drawing significant inspiration from vernacular craftsmanship and art forms,” says John. Refurbished doors, windows, columns, and furniture enhance the dramatic effect of the tropical modern shell.

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As the architects explain, the first step was identifying a location for the farmhouse on the 17-acre coconut farm. “As we explored the site, we discovered four mature mango trees—planted by the owner’s great-grandfather—surrounding the central irrigation culvert. The sound of flowing water from the nearby canal made this the perfect spot,” says architect Nanda Kishor.

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Made for Multifunction

The farmhouse in Tamil Nadu was intended for unwinding, sure, but it was also made for sharing with friends and family. In the owners’ eyes, and the architects’ as well, it was important that each space be multifunctional, able to serve few or many with equal ease. Most weekends, as the evening breeze sets in, the family likes to relax outdoors in the sunken seating area, each transferring filter coffee from one tumbler to another to achieve the perfect froth. “It’s quite the setting,” muses Vedika. “From this spot, we have an immersive connection with nature and can enjoy the open air while watching our child play in the sandpit and on the tree swing.” Prasanna concurs: “We had always envisioned open spaces, lots of natural light, and oneness with the outdoors. We’ve come incredibly close to our vision.”