AN ARTFUL ABODE

With jewel tones, objets d'art and rare artisanal treasures, this Kasaragod villa, designed by Humming Tree, is nothing like its neighbours

- VAISHNAVI NAYEL TALAWADEKAR

The lounge houses a potpourri of furniture defined by gentle curvatures. A Tantric Chair and a custom-made Nordic chair sit side by side, almost as if in conversation. The lights are from Aura Lights and the rug is from Jaipur Rugs. The pot was designed by Humming Tree and made by local craftsmen

Having each grown up in traditional Kerala bungalows, Ashraf and Shahnaz knew one thing for certain — that their new home should be far removed from the familiar vernacular style. “We imagined an aesthetic that would help us reconceive the signature Kerala palette and experience a different side of life. With our parents’ homes just a stone’s throw away, we wanted something we could call our own,” says Ashraf. And so it followed that the couple reached out to Mohammed Afnan and Arun Shekar of Kozhikode-based architecture firm Humming Tree, known for their contemporary design approach, to give their new abode a voguish overhaul.