Filmmaker Sudhi's house in Kannur is unique yet low-cost

The cascading brook and the soothing greenery offer a perfect background for filmmaker Sudhi Anna’s brand new house ‘Bansuri’ built on the banks of the Vembuzha River in Kannur. The sweet aroma of the coffee and the enchanting tunes of gazal that pervade the atmosphere add to the incredible charm of this elegant house.

Open doors

Sudhi, who directed the movie Halleluiah, had actually wished to build a mud house which was in sync with the beautiful nature outside. Though he had visited many such houses to know more about it, he had to give up the idea in the end owing to a few issues.

Sudhi came up with the theme of ‘open doors’ and architects Biju and Sooraj executed this idea by designing the interiors in the open style which makes the house look more spacious. There aren’t any walls between the formal living area, TV area, dining space and kitchen. However, the spaces are separated wisely in the interiors. The TV unit and dining–kitchen spaces are built at a level higher than the formal living area.

The house, built in a unique ‘+’ shape, has three bedrooms in corners. Kitchen is on the left end of the 1,625 sqft house. “Those who enter Bansuri should become one with nature. They shouldn’t feel as if they are strangers at this house. They should be able to feel at home. Even if my wife is in the kitchen, she can talk to the guests sitting at the formal living area,” Sudhi proudly talks about his home which always offers warmth to the guests.

World of imagination

The living area and the bedrooms are in double height and this adds to the stylish look of the exteriors as well. Architect Biju Thomas who is clearly impressed by the artistic prowess of his client says that the design of the house was already perceived by Sudhi in his mind and they just had to draw the plans according to it. A mezzanine floor would be set up in the living area where the roof is in double height. Sudhi plans to turn that mezzanine floor into a beautiful indoor ‘tree house’ where he can enjoy some personal time.

Wood is used in a minimal measure in Bansuri. Iron square pipes were used to make the frame of the roof. Mangalore tiles are paved on the roof, and ceiling tiles are used on the floor. This significantly contributed to keep a check on the expenses as well. Just two doors are made in wood and one of them is the main entrance door. There are rooms around the TV unit and there aren’t any widows here. However, the pergola opening in circular shape on the ceiling brings in ample sunshine and fresh air. Small openings like this instead of huge windows not only ensure security but keeps up with the latest trend in architecture. The TV unit and the kitchen are the only flat areas in the house.

Coffee paradise

Sudhi is a self-confessed admirer of coffee and he has an impressive collection of coffee powders and unique containers brought from countries like Indonesia, Germany, Italy, Thailand and Philippines. They are neatly and aesthetically arranged in the house. Besides, there are a number of unique and exquisite curios which indeed are the highlights of the interiors.

The Ajmer gramophone which constantly plays gazals, the Chicago phone, military telescope, cameras, binoculars, different kinds of lamps, copper uruli (traditional cookware) and kaalpetti (old wooden box) are some of the materials which add to the elegance of the house and also create a curiosity among his guests. Paintings in the Zen theme adorn the walls of the interiors, and mud vessels and bamboo cookware are some of the eye catching features.

“We have an inclination toward Buddhist ideologies. The small figurine of the Buddha on a niche in the TV area and the pebble garden paved with artificial grass are all inspired from it. We usually spread a mat on the floor and sit on it to watch the TV. There isn’t much furniture here,” explains Sudhi.

Lights on

The windows are built in such a way that the beauty of the incredible nature outside could be enjoyed from anywhere inside the house. Seven feet high sliding windows built in aluminum fabrication helped to reduce the cost of construction. The railings of the window done in square pipes too contributed to control the expenses.

The entire house is decorated in the white – grey – wooden finish theme. V board was used to build the cupboards and the shutters are made using grey colored hylam sheets.

Vitrified tiles in wooden finish and grey colour are paved in the interiors.

One can enter the house through a door on the left side of the formal living area as well. This is a small door just like the ones found in the houses build in the traditional style. There is a step here and one has to bend a little to enter through this door.

Sudhi says that he would turn this into the main entrance after a while. He is also growing a jasmine roof here to gracefully welcome his guests to the house. Though the house stands in a 10 cents plot, around 15 varieties of bamboo and other trees are grown in the courtyard.

The house is aptly named Bansuri because of the presence of unique species of bamboo. Sudhi hopes to turn the jasmine roofed area into an extension of the formal living area where he can entertain his guests with the mesmerizing tunes of the gazal and a cup of hot coffee.