Weekend Home by Humming Tree
An amalgamation of modernist roots and contemporary tropical architecture.
With its amazing climate and range of hills, it comes as no surprise, that Wayanad in Kerala is truly fascinating for the architectural landscape. Now syncing into this hilly region, it turns out that this weekend/holiday home includes colonnaded verandas, courtyards, high ceilings, and breezy folding doors, features that cater to the humid, tropical weather and the torrential downpour that might suddenly occur. Let's take a walk through this home's highlights to inspire the decorating scheme for one’s next vacation home.
A handsome Kerala teak door adorns the entrance; the famous trunkless elephant sitting beyond the landscape is an antique. The owner purchased the door and artifacts from an old manor house near Mattancheri. The benches were custom-made by Humming Tree’s carpenters. The tall floor stand mirror was a gift from a dear friend; the photo frames on the wall are from Mysore.
An effort has been made to involve skillful carpenters to craft some fine wood work. Colours have been kept toned down and subtle to keep the mood warm. Furniture picked has a variety in terms of design and style. The home also uses a variety of fabrics like Ikat and Raw silks, sourced from local and award winning weavers.
A wooden deewan along with three-legged high stools sits opposite a durable carved wooden coffee table with brass hinges; a Wabi-Sabi style rustic pot, acid finish glass vase, and vintage Moghul painting, the cement flooring —completes the scene. “The motive was to figure out how to make these beautiful objects that matter, voicing up-cycling/sustainability/art pieces which can become a conversation starter, bringing back memories from the past,” says Arun who is the artistic director of Humming Tree, greatly inspired by Wabi-Sabi style & Geoffery Bawa.
In the dining room, a custom dining table by Humming Tree is paired with three-legged chairs, sourced from Mattancheri-the art hub of Kerala, and a bench. Hanging clay pendants were designed by Humming Tree and produced by LIGHTS with the help of local clay makers in Kerala. The console table highlights the art. Due to the smart positioning of the courtyards, the house remains remarkably cool during the day. The house, comprising of a metal structure and-clay tiled roof, an elevated roof terrace, and courtyards—seamlessly blends the outdoor and indoor space.
The rich burgundy custom fabric art was made from recycled vintage cloth. This adorns a pair of ceramic pickle jars, these were sourced—which was once used to store dried fish/pickles—from antique dealers during the house’s construction. This gives the whole space an old-world charm and the art just smoothens the entire space due to the rich fabric texture. The custom chair was restored from an old furniture market in south Kerala.
Custom bedside table with decors and flowers help soften the bedroom's sharp linearity in the master suite, where the bed is topped with linens from Zara Home and flanked by vintage nightstands. The cot is from Mattencheri, the rugs are by Stories, and the pendant light is by LIGHT Calicut. A bed topped in mustard throw from Zara.
Project: Weekend Home
Location: Wayanad, Kerala
Design House: Humming Tree
Photography: Justin Sebastian
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