HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MONTH

old houses in Kerala are being demolished to build modern new structures but here"s just-the-opposite story. Marc Delrome searched high and low for one which could be his home. . After short sojourns in various towns, he looked for that special house. Traversing the island of Vypeen, off Fort Kochi on his bike, he came upon an old Christian house which he immediately knew was IT. "It took months of persuasion before the owners agreed to lease out the property to me."

This was the tharawad [ancestral home] of a prominent family in the village of Ayamtalli. The current owners had moved out of this 130 year old house to a more convenient one. And after 18 years of being unoccupied, it found life once again when Marc took it and restored it. "The house really did not need much work. Surprisingly, it had maintained itself really well and only a minimum of replacement was required." The house was brought back to its original state, its red oxide flooring polished and the terracotta wiped clean. Lime plaster and lime wash were used where needed, and the yard cleaned of debris.

THE COLOURS OF SPICES

But to add that extra zing Marc added the designer"s touch with colours and artefacts collected over the years. A jewellery designer by profession, he says, "I love colour and those I chose for each room was based on a spice: from chilli red to saffron or turmeric!" The ambience and intensity of Kerala was brought into the old house, without allowing its original flavour to be lost.

He used white to highlight the old windows, giving a sense of depth to each of them. They often also acted as a frame for his varied collection of paintings or memorabilia. So a house with eleven rooms [four of which are bedrooms] was turned into an abode of eclectic elegance. "To start with, I allowed the structure to maintain its true identity. Nothing was broken down, including the flooring which ranged from polished cement to red-oxide or terracotta." The entrance veranda, as in olden times, was converted into a place in which to relax, but Marc took it one step ahead and added a carom board as well, "so that people feel really at home."

The living room, he painted white with a touch of saffron. It is also the reading room, which then extends into what he calls the music room. Here Marc"s collection of antiques from various parts of India, are accented by old black and white photographs framed the traditional way by a local studio. An old window is used as a stepper into his bedroom. It is details such as these that add that special touch to his home, including a cross studded with semi-precious stones and a carom coin especially designed for him by a designer friend.

A MINI MUSEUM

His house is like a mini museum, objects placed tastefully to highlight its character. From his den, where he generally entertains his friends, the space moves into the dining room. Here we have a chandelier in brass ? which he had designed initially for a restaurant he used to run ? and chairs of different designs around the table. To accompany the French food he serves his guests, is hand crafted cutlery designed by him, in brass and iron, and an old wooden almirah that is the focal point of the room. Each of the bedrooms has been decorated differently. The one on the ground floor, which is for his mother when she visits, is in white, colour provided by a design in burnt orange. Climb an old wooden staircase and there"s the master bedroom on the second floor. White curtains drape the windows, with vegetable dyed wooden holders that were taken from the legs of old beds. And while a painting draws attention, the artefacts on the window sills allow a flamboyant touch. Each of the other two rooms [one with a wall of blue and the other in a shade of pink] is also accentuated by art. Marc has beds of a different design to suit each room.

However, the highlight is the recent addition to the house, when Marc started his hospitality business. For visitors, he converted the arra [where grain or coconuts are stored] into a guesthouse. The wooden structure was refined and a sitting area included. A massage room was constructed in an enclosed space and a small dressing area in the adjacent room. A window was added for light [an arra is usually dark as it is used as a store] and an open bedroom was built upstairs with an old staircase leading to it. The old flooring was covered with a coir carpet and the ceiling with mats made of palm and painted white for a clean feel. The bed is placed in the centre with a painting hung invisibly at the centre for drama. He has avoided clutter and only a traditional gadget used in Kerala to catch karimeen (a variety of fish) is the decorative feature. And as one witnesses the details of the house, there is a little of everything that has gone into making it beautiful. There"s even the traditional firewood kitchen where food is prepared. A little bit of France and India, all in a slice of Kerala created by Delrome.