The Millennial Manor, true to its name, is a renovation project, designed by The Auburn Studio. “Our client, Raj Kiran, was looking to ramp up his parents’ 25 year old house to create a personal space that was bright and refreshing. This was the first floor of a 25 year old house in Nugambakkam, Chennai. The house has a private entrance accessible via a staircase outside the house. We received the bare shell of the site after all the old walls and tiles were knocked off.“
The brief
Raj wanted a complete makeover of the space to match his evolving idea of a home. Like all millennials, Raj didn’t want his house to be confined to a particular style; his brief to that end was to seamlessly blend in different elements and brighten up the space that was devoid of natural light. He also wanted the living room to stand out, serving the dual purpose of being cozy enough to retreat after a long day and lively enough to entertain friends.
The design intent
The intent of the space was to keep it clean and clutter free. We wanted spaces to flow into each other to make the place feel bigger. We also opened up the space to make room for natural light. We wanted the space to be sophisticated with that touch of quirk.
The civil intervention
The first floor of 100 sq.ft initially consisted of two bedrooms and a living room. We knocked down one of the bedrooms and created an open kitchen with dining.
The spatial configuration/flow
The space opens up to a large living room with an open kitchen and dining space to its left. Nestled in the corner of the living room is the entrance to the master bedroom. A washroom and a walk-in closet make up for the additional space in the master bedroom.
The material palette
We opted for light wood for the flooring of the living room and the master bedroom to make the spaces feel lighter and more airy. We played with neutral tones of beige, green and yellow all over the house tied in with touches of black and walnut wood shades.
The challenges
One of the major challenges we faced was to brighten up the space considering natural light was limited. We chose our colour palette and materials wisely to ramp up the space.
As this was a renovation project, we were also limited by some concrete structures that we couldn’t break down.
The highlights
We layered pattern on pattern and used multiple types of textures and finishes. Multifunctional spaces, loud wallpapers, plenty of plants, signature stand-out tiling – this space has it all.
The takeaway
The fact that we played around with multiple styles and yet nothing seems out of place is a true win. The diversity of it all brings the place together beautifully to celebrate maximalism – out with less is more. It’s time for more is more.
Favourite aspect of the project
We love how the kitchen turned out. We were a little skeptical about going all out with a patterned tile for both the floor and the backsplash but we decided to take the plunge. We couldn’t be happier with the outcome.
Fact file
Project name: Millennial Manor
Design firm: The Auburn Studio
Area (in sq ft): 1,000 sq.ft
Location: Thirumurthy Nagar, Nungambakkam, Chennai
Principal architects: Sushmitha Ramesh
Client: Raj Kiran
Photography : Yash R Jain
