SEA-ZE THE DAY

Amritha Karnakar breathes a new lease of life into a decade old home located within a quiet coastal town in Maharashtra

- SHRITI DAS

Nestled on the coasts of Kelwa, stands a quaint home watching the sea disappear into blue skies. The pristine waters put on a magnificent show on the land dotted by umpteen palms. This abode designed by Amritha Karnakar Architectural Design in the sun-kissed hamlet of Maharashtra celebrates its picturesque locale as the hero of all that transpires at this surreal locale. Seldom is a house designed with an agenda to keep its people outside its four walls. But when Mumbai-based Amritha was faced with restoring an aged structure to suit new needs, she did exactly that. The 15 year old structure that spans almost 5,000 sq ft has been partly restored, alongside newer interventions to suit the functional requirements of the family while treading a fine balance between the modern and traditional. Amritha explains, “This little two bedroom house is redesigned to incorporate an additional bedroom, bathroom, an extended kitchen with an open dining area. An extended porch incorporates a pool and lounge to enjoy the breathtaking ocean view.” Amritha’s primary challenge was to remodel the dilapidated roof without disrupting the structure. “Special care was taken to overhaul the antique wooden entrance door and the four stone columns located in the back porch,” she says. A 30 ft wide rundown well has also been preserved in the porch of the backyard as a landscape feature. And it is this porch that plays host to the most spectacular views. 

A refurbished antique wooden door and tiles from Prime Ceramics opens up to a brass Nandi sculpture from the homeowner’s collection placed in the living room which add a pristine old world charm to the home