Indie Tales, a residence true to its identity stands apart with its unparalleled charm amidst a narrow conservative neighbourhood in Pondicherry. 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.  

The two leveled residence portrays a humble outlook with a brick block featuring angles and recessions, sandwiched between metal lined concrete plates atop a solid white block. It is preceded by a gray exposed brick wall creating a harmonious interplay of brick, white and gray. The boundary wall’s exposed brick jali 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 it is adorned with a metal pergola, Kadapa and tropics. The rustiness is carefully infused by creating patchy grass in between Kadapa strips. Traditional jaali work accents the planter along the way enhancing the feel further.

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Architects : House of Design Stories
Area : 1700 sq. ft.
Year : 2023
Website : https://instagram.com/house.of.design.stories?igshid=MWQ2ODkyMjM=

Exterior view of Indie Tales by House of Design Stories

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 were adorned with this beautiful tone of wood. Most of the vengai wood were salvaged from old houses, which on a positive side exhibited different shades throughout the house enhancing its beauty.

Interiors and styling were intricately planned 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 was given 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. 


Living room of Indie Tales by House of Design Stories


Living room of Indie Tales by House of Design Stories

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.


Living room of Indie Tales by House of Design Stories


Ceiling view of Indie Tales by House of Design Stories


Chandelier of Indie Tales by House of Design Stories


Swing of Indie Tales by House of Design Stories


Kitchen of Indie Tales by House of Design Stories

Their open kitchen boasts a unique and economical modular setup that seamlessly blends traditional and modern design elements. Just like a traditional kitchen, the lower storage features brick partitions paired with 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 color scheme in combination with wood. A breakfast table was planned as 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. It is wrapped with terraces on the north, west and south facia. The north and the west terraces are vertically connected with the living. It creates a buffer from the surrounding plots to maintain the light and ventilation into the great room. 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 jali, exposed concrete ceiling, to Kadapa flooring and a sleek metal pergola which is a perfect romance to experience.


Kitchen of Indie Tales by House of Design Stories


Staircase of Indie Tales by House of Design Stories


Kitchen of Indie Tales by House of Design Stories


Bedroom of Indie Tales by House of Design Stories

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 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. Louvered windows allow for gentle filtering of harsh southern sunlight.

The yellow bedroom is a vibrant and artistic space, adorned with exquisite pichwai and madhubani paintings depicting Indian culture. The color yellow is complemented by varying shades of gray on the walls and flooring, creating a harmonious balance. This bedroom holds a window side seater combined with the masonry wardrobe adding a warm nook to the space.


Bedroom of Indie Tales by House of Design Stories


Bedroom of Indie Tales by House of Design Stories


Bedroom 2 of Indie Tales by House of Design Stories

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 of natural light. 

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


Sitout of Indie Tales by House of Design Stories


Terrace of Indie Tales by House of Design Stories


Entrance of Indie Tales by House of Design Stories


Detailed shot of door of Indie Tales by House of Design Stories


Ground Floor Plan of Indie Tales by House of Design Stories


First Floor Plan of Indie Tales by House of Design Stories


Section of Indie Tales by House of Design Stories




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