Ancestral home in Thennala gets a stunning modern makeover

Shahul Hameed, the current owner of this grand old house at Thennala in Malappuram, Kerala, didn’t have the heart to dismantle it despite the structure showing signs of decay. The traditional home that is more than a century old has housed generations of Shahul’s family and carries many fabulous memories with it. It was with this dilemma that he had approached noted architect Salim. Renovating an old structure to suit the modern times is more stressful than actually building a brand new house. However, Salim was all game to take up this challenge. Within a few months, the tharavad or the ancestral home was given a modern makeover, with added amenities and facilities, by retaining the soul of the house. However, the real highlight is that the renovation works were completed on a moderate budget of Rs 15 lakh.

The family had celebrated the housewarming ceremony and moved into their newly renovated house in April this year. Designed in 1800 sqft, this splendid house has a sit out, living and dining areas, kitchen with a work area, four bedrooms and an upper hall as well.

The old timber rafters were decayed and weak. So, the old roof has been replaced with a GI truss roof that is paved with polished Mangaluru tiles. This adds grand elegance to the elevation of the house.

The house that was built in the style of old traditional Muslim household had smaller rooms. These rooms weren’t airy and didn’t invite sunshine as well. Old and redundant walls were dismantled to transform the interiors into a semi open style. More windows have been newly installed to illuminate the spaces with natural light.

Two bedrooms are newly added in the upper floor. Besides, an open hall too has been additionally built.

The old kitchen that had firewood stove didn’t have many facilities. This was updated into a modern kitchen with lots of storage and other facilities.

The traditional pillars and the ‘L’ shaped sit out with half walls are what welcome one into this enchanting house. The show wall, in double height on the elevation, is actually the stair area. The laterite stone cladding here is the highlight of the exteriors. The vertical air vents and pergola lets lots of natural light and air into the house.

The living area is adorned with simple yet classy ‘L’ shaped furniture. A small wall is what acts as a partition that separates this area from the dining space. The dining table can easily accommodate up to six guests. The glass top, meanwhile, adds elegant sheen to the dining table. The wooden ceiling in the living – dining area adds an old world charm to the interiors. A mini courtyard has been arranged close to the main hall. The vertical pergolas on the wall here bring lots of sunlight into the interiors.

The old bedrooms were smaller. A few walls were knocked off to make these rooms spacious. Attached bathrooms and wardrobes have been newly added to make the bedrooms more functional.

Shahul Hameed and his family are thrilled that they could give a facelift to their ancestral home, by retaining the old memories, on a pocket friendly budget.

Project Facts

Location – Thennala, Malappuram

Area – 1800 SFT (NEW), 1200 sft (old)

Plot – 20 cents

Owner – Shahul Hameed

Designer – Salim PM

AS Design Forum, Malappuram

Mob – 6238803316

Year of completion – 2020 April

Budget – Rs 15 lakhs

Pictures – Akhil Komachy

Mob - 9746852557