House Amidst The Coconut Grove by Amritha Karnakar

This was a renovation project of a beach house, built years ago in Kelwa on the coast of Maharashtra. The site is located at a distance of 105 km to the north of Mumbai. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, it is peaceful and beautiful, with a plethora of coconut trees.

This home was a weekend getaway for the clients. They wanted to revive the house and add newer blocks to cater to the expanding family. The house has been remodeled so that all rooms have a view of the beach, allowing the maximum sea breeze to flow into the spaces. The porch in the backyard was extended to provide uninterrupted views of the ocean.

Materials like laterite, basalt, and granite are used in this project and are available locally in the region. 

The design process resulted in the reimagining of the existing two-bedroom property and converting it into a three-bedroom house with an extended porch for the ocean view. A private outhouse was also constructed on the property which doubles as a guest room. The roof, which was earlier covered in terracotta Mangalore tiles, is now cloaked in dark grey clay tiles giving it a completely new character.