A home that fits the bill

It has been hardly a fortnight since they moved into Aumkaar, but Dipu V.P. and Jaisna have guests almost every day. Tirelessly, they show them around and explain how well the new home turned out to be, with excitement and pride gleaming in their eyes. A work of marvel, Aumkaar is the couple’s 1,385 square feet residence built in cost-effective minimalistic contemporary design.

“We have been living in rented apartments for the past 10 years. It has all been in multi-storey buildings. This is our first home on earth,” laughs Dipu, a business analyst in Kochi. When Dipu felt that it was time for him, Jasna and their seven-year-old son Madhav to find their own home, he bought 3.33 cents of land at a quiet residential area near Vazhakkala. The plot was rectangular, but the couple was lured by the ambience of the locality and its proximity to Dipu’s office and Madhav’s school.

Jaisna says, “We wanted a spacious three-bedroom home, but the shape of the plot could be a hindrance. It was then we came across a few projects of Shinto Varghese. We contacted him and explained our requirements and hurdles. We were very specific on one point — it had to be within our budget.”

Shinto agreed and the construction began with the assistance of Saneesh, a builder friend of his. It took just one year and Rs 35 lakh for the completion of the construction, including the interiors. Glad about the outcome, Dipu says, “Though we had certain specifications, we had expected a smaller home and a bigger budget, but this is perfect.”

One look around the spacious home, you get what he means. The preference given to common areas and confining private spaces have done the trick. The ground floor, which houses a living area, dining space, a bedroom, a bathroom and an open kitchen, doesn’t look crammed at all. “There are no walls in between the kitchen, dining and living spaces, and the dining area opens to the vertical garden on the compound wall. We had requested a small glass opening, but Shinto replaced the whole wall with a glass partition that overlooks the premises,” says Jaisna, smiling. Not only does the glass partition serve as a space-saver, but also adds to the charm of the home, blending the interiors with the greenery outside.

Jaisna also wanted the dining space and TV area apart. “I absolutely hate it when people, especially children, have their food glued to the TV. So, the TV area was built in a cozy space above the car porch, at the landing area of the stairway,” she adds. The staircase that begins with a photo wall leads to the first floor, which has two bedrooms, a hall and a bougainvillea-lined balcony, apart from an entrance to the terrace.

Maximum utilisation of space is another highlight of the house. Hidden cupboards, tall wardrobes and plenty of storage spaces are given all over the house, which has white overplayed without losing the elegance another requirement of the couple.

“We didn’t want coloured walls, but when Shinto showed us the plastered wall planned for a bedroom and the TV area, we were impressed. The wood veneer showcase that blocks the sight of wash basin from the living area and wood work that lets light seep in to the TV space are all Shinto’s ideas,” says Jaisna.

One can’t take their eyes off the art works and DIY décor at various spots. The couple shyly admits that all those excellent works are their creative pastimes. The paintings, pencil art works and the decorated vases gel well to the home’s overall ambience.

Going by the stunning construction and the beautiful works on display, Aumkaar is indeed an artist hub.