This is the story of Amal, 27, from Ponkunnam, Kottayam. He tells Onmanorama about his journey to make his dream home a reality. Amal’s old house, which was around 50 years old, had several defects and lacked space due to its age. This made him think about building a new house. Although he was working in IT in Kochi, he wanted to fulfill his parents’ wish to stay in their village, close to their roots. For this reason, he decided to build a new house on the same spot.
The house has a sloping truss roof with four levels. From the beginning, he had planned to go for a colonial design. Naturally, the tendency was to use traditional roof tiles due to the aesthetic appeal. After the flat roof design was finalized, a GI truss was erected and the roof was covered with tiles. This gives the house a special appeal. Old tiles were reused and the space underneath is used as a storage space.
The front wall of the house has been textured to resemble natural stone, which increases its visual appeal. The 140 square meter area accommodates a seating area, living room, dining area, kitchen, work area, three bedrooms and bathrooms.
Visitors can enter the living area through a passageway that leads from a small veranda. The interior spaces of the house are semi-open. This creates a feeling of spaciousness throughout the house. The flooring is made of matt tiles in concrete grey. This complements the grey tones of the furniture, cabinets and curtains and creates a harmonious and coherent appearance.
A lot of attention was paid to privacy in the design and a small, intimate space was reserved for the dining area. This space also has a crockery unit. The kitchen is well thought out and suitable for a small family and has all the necessary amenities including a breakfast bar. The kitchen cabinets are made of PVC with aluminum doors. The worktops are made of granite.
The house has three bedrooms, each with an en-suite bathroom. The bedrooms are equipped with all the necessary amenities including a private dressing area. The entire project, including the structure and furnishings, was completed at a cost of Rs 3.5 million.
Amal advises anyone planning to build a new home to focus on thorough research and planning in the initial stages. He stresses the importance of having a clear understanding of where costs can be minimized. This way, he says, people can achieve their dream home without putting a strain on their budget.
