The aroma of finely ground beans extracted into a sepia elixir of filter coffee decoction perfumes the air. The metallic tinkle of salangai (traditional anklets) rings distantly through rooms. Outside, the serpentine Adyar River makes its way to the horizon, its length dotted by floating islets of dense green.
Project Name: Nesavu
Studio Name: 1405 Design Studio
Location: Chennai
Design Firm: 1405 Design Studio
Square Footage: 2,500 Square Feet
Principal Architects: Ashwath Narayanan and Divya Khullar Narayanan
Photography Credit: Phosart Studio
These aromas, sounds, and vistas compose the mise-en-scène at Nesavu, perched on the 18th floor of a coveted river-side residential complex in Madras’ heart. The word is the Tamil expression for ‘weaving’ and nods to the omnipresent tether of rootedness that threads its way through the abode.
“In a time and age where homes tiringly simulate cookie-cutter spaces and are hostages to fleeting trends, collaborating with our clients was a breath of fresh air! The couple envisioned a space that would celebrate them in an unabashed light. As a studio, we have strived to reprise the maxim of traditional meets modern, diving head-first into the creation of details and research on materiality,” shares Divya.
The client is an Entrepreneur and a Co-Founder of a Chennai-based gourmet coffee brand. The lady of the home is a revered name in the cultural landscape, trained and practising as a professional Bharatanatyam Artist. Their union illuminates aspects of the culture of the Deccan, a facet that relentlessly percolates into the home’s DNA. Ashwath further iterates, “In many ways, the spaces are extensions of their day-to-day rituals. The slow and intentional process of fixing oneself a cuppa, the abhyaas of one’s art form, and their routines as a family of three. Divya and I deeply picked up on their devotion to every little detail of their lives, and we wanted to passionately bring that sentiment to life with Nesavu and them being the muses.”
A story steeped in tradition viewed from a contemporary lens commences even before one can step foot inside. The foyer is anchored by warm Kota flooring, punctuated by Jaisalmer inserts that hold an embedded Kolam. Udaipur green marble assumes a sinuous path, inlaid with natural stones and brass to resemble traditional geometric motifs. Along the wall, brass rods project from a wood panel, holding woven baskets for milk and newspaper dispatches.
Upon entering the vestibule, a rich medley of hues originates on the walls, instinctively luring one’s steps into the home. Emerald and rust tints overlap and weave their presence across the wall surface, manifesting as brushstrokes in an oxide finish studded with chips of varying sizes. The sea of grey terrazzo fills the niches created at the intersection of the bands, made in the image of a loom with warp and weft threads on a handloom. The fluted solid wood console is topped off by leather-finish granite, flanking the corridor’s length.
“The materials were deeply researched at Nesavu. Terrazzo is most seen across floors and doesn’t conventionally debut on walls. This design decision had us experiment a ton to get that robust and smooth texture and deliberate variation of hues right! It’s one of the elements that make one want to trace their fingers along spaces, appreciating the patina and character the surfaces will eventually build,” avers Divya.
Cloaking the walls, the leitmotif of the terrazzo bands wraps around the edges of the home and travels into the communal spaces at Nesavu, posing as the backdrop against which the minimalist living room is composed. Owing to the colour-forward approach towards the shell, the elements within were curated to be pared down. An oversized, warm grey sectional sofa and a sleek swing by Studio Works create the nucleus for downtime and gatherings, rested over an asymmetric carpet by Jaipur Rugs. An intriguing detail resides in the ivory curtains, creating a gauzy envelope along the space’s edge that gazes into the riparian landscape. Embroidered motifs of marigolds cascade along the drape’s length, resembling handwoven malaihal (garlands).
Encasing the room’s other end, an origami-esque spatial membrane stands sentinel, concealing the extension to the shared spaces. Glass bi-folding doors hold within a prayer nook, with pristine white walls and surfaces to host the family’s deities. Wood and brass make a consistent cameo, keeping the design grammar of the spaces uniform.
Banter and intimate meals with loved ones come alive within the dining area, a crossover between minimalist and homogenous sensibilities. “A panelled screen in walnut claims the backdrop, adeptly concealing a sequence of five doors within its expanse. The modern extrapolation of a Toran is realised with brass inserts embedded into the wood panelling, forming the silhouette of door hangings at the entrance of Indian homes,” explains the Duo.
Constructed in Udaipur green marble, the tabletop rests over a deep-stained wood base, a colour scheme that trickles into the dining chairs. Over the table, a trio of brass and glass luminaires render a deconstructed take on temple bells, strengthening the vein of Deccan-rooted influences. A bevvy of ceramic lotuses bloom in crimson, emerald, and ivory shades on the adjunct wall, a bespoke creation by Priya Sundaravalli Sudharsan from Auroville.
The veil of walnut is parted to reveal an inconspicuous built-in bar. A duo of pocket doors reveal a bijou bar station, its backsplash and counter finished in textured leather-finish granite. The mirrored cabinet fascia above and the perforated panels below pack in the utility of neatly stowing away barware and concoctions.
If one were to slide open the accordion-style doors fringing the home’s heart, they would be privy to oozing marsala from within the embrace of the tertiary room. Versatile in its essence, the space is a sunny dance studio by day, a quaint study by night, and a hearty room that hosts guests when the couple entertains, virtually expanding the inhabitable blueprint of the apartment.
