Tag: courtyard

HOUSE TOURS

A Modern Interpretation of the Traditional Courtyard

Another gem from AD that celebrates the courtyard. Courtyard is that one coveted element of architecture of the bygone era we would all like to hold dear. You can see the courtyard making a comeback in many individual homes with different interpretations. For centuries, it has been known by different names in different parts of the subcontinent, some call it mittham, wada, nallukettu etc.The idea remains the same: it is the central area around which the other parts of the house are constructed. The architectural element of the courtyard worked well for the joint family setup of the past where in every family had a room/kitchen to themselves and gathered around the courtyard for functions/festivals and generally to hang around. everything revolved around this focal point. The modern interpretations of the courtyard are executed brilliantly in these homes. Our ancestral home in Kumbakonam had an open courtyard which was converted into…

HOUSE TOURS

A courtyard home in Goa

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Good morning! Are you charged up after a relaxing, holidaying weekend? I sure am.

I couldn’t contain my excitement when I saw this home flipping thr the pages of Apr-May ’13 issue of Elle Decor.

You know how we always have a certain image of the home we would like to live in. I’m not referring to the the 1500 sq.ft odd cubes we live in the city. My dream is to have a independent house with a small garden in the front, a picket fence, and a vegetable garden in the back, a open terrace, thatched roofs, red oxide flooring, and a courtyard in the center. Oh yes, somewhere closer to the sea too. And I would have probably loved to have it while the kid is young and so are we. dreams…..anyways, I took solace in seeing this home in Goa.

REAL ESTATE

Zed Earth: Eco-friendly Homes in Bangalore

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Wouldn’t it be a nice to live in a house designed to use all forms of energy (heat, water, light) in a optimal way? Ironically, nature’s free resources are the ones becoming scarce soon. Water is a precious commodity in Bangalore, not only during summer, but through out the year. Where else do you see tankers hog half the roads all day?

A few months back, we dropped by at the Zed Earth property on the outskirts of Bangalore, and all of us instantly fell in love with it. I happened to see the pictures again and wanted to share. Zed Earth is developed by BCIL who are well known for their eco-friendly homes. The model villa is so aesthetically designed that it is brimming with ideas to enhance storage and functionality. What I loved about the interiors was it was neither contemporary nor modern but adopted the best of both the worlds.

I will tell you the truth: what appealed the most in this house even before we entered were a dozen pots with healthy vegetables: brinjal was in the flowering stage and yet another had a bunch of okra. You don’t see them here..maybe these pictures were staged for the shoot.