Mesmerising green, lavish interior make this Kochi home in 4.5 cents unique

Constructing budget homes on small plots is not a difficult task, taking into account the notion that there is little scope to work on luxury elements. This is sure to reflect on the expense in furnishing and hence brings down the overall cost of the house. Time has come to shelve the traditional thoughts as you step into the newly-built house of IT-couple Dijo and Manju in 4.5 cents of land at Thevakkal in Kochi, Kerala, that opens windows to a novel refreshing experience.

Their architects fondly named it 'The house that spreads light'. The absence of a front yard with trees and plants was a thorny issue for the couple who loved greenery. But the house on a small plot offers a unique visual and rejuvenating experience one can ever dream of. To make up for the space constraints to set up a courtyard, the interior of the house has been transformed into a gorgeous lush green island.

The house has been designed in such a way that any visitor would be awed by the luxuriant foliage in a spacious setting. A big GI frame has been installed adjoining the outer wall of the house. They serve as the support system for vines and other climbers. Moreover ‘pandals’ have been erected to cultivate passion fruits and ivy guard in the balcony. The ‘green umbrella’ thus overcomes the absence of trees in the small property.

The ground floor has living and dining rooms, a kitchen, a master bedroom and three courtyards. A family living room, two bedrooms, a balcony and open terrace constitute the first floor, taking the total area of the house to 2,950 sq ft. A host of lush green shrubs and trees are there to greet you through an inner courtyard as you enter the main door. The interior of the house is fashioned on open space theme, as you can find the corridors separated by courtyards.

The area adjoining the dining area in kitchen has been converted into a study table-cum-breakfast counter. Stain-resistant quartz countertop has been used as the perfect choice to stand up to daily wear and tear. The plywood-cum-laminated finish gives a classy look to the kitchen cabinets.

Up on the terrace are 15 small erections which may be mistaken for large lidded aluminium pots. They are indeed skylights with specialized glass that allow sunlight to seep into the house but not the heat.

For IT professionals Dijo and Manju, the house offers a perfect healing space to drive away all the stress at workplace. The couple who spend most of the time working in AC rooms of the office decided to do away with air-conditioner at home as they felt that nothing can beat the natural and healthy cooling system of the vines and creepers. The family hardly uses lights and fans during day time, which is why they have very low power bills.

Project Facts

Plot- 4.5 cent

Area- 2950 SFT

Owner- Dijo Jose

Design- Lijo, Reny Architects, Thrissur

Mob- 98470 16689