Having a worldly exposure to design, in all of its various forms, enriched me as a person in more ways than I could have ever anticipate. But the burning question was, what are my design sensibilities? My stint in Interior Design at NYU helped push the envelope to that question. During that period, frequent visits to the D&D building in Manhattan introduced me to the nuances of Interior Design like lighting, furniture, textiles, textures, rugs, etc from around the world in one enormous building. As much as I could feast my eyes on Scandinavian furniture or French toile or Moroccan rugs it was very difficult to envision my home purely in that setting. So the quest continued and I kept an open eye and an open mind.
Ever since I read Archana's Hour Tour and Karthik's Trip Down Memory Lane on Apartment Therapy, it instantly clicked with my south Indian roots. I resonated with the warm colors, intricate wood work, white walls, exposed ceilings, patterned tiles with generous sprinkling of brass and copper tones and plenty of greenery. I would highly recommend you to check out the slideshows in the linked posts above, to get a better understanding of this design aesthetic.
Wiki says ~ "About Chettinad Architecture: The Chettinad region is well known for its 19th-century mansions, whose wide courtyards and spacious rooms are embellished with marble and teak. Construction materials, decorative items and furnishings were mostly imported from East Asian countries and Europe. The marble was brought from Italy, chandeliers and teak from Burma, crockery from Indonesia, crystals from Europe and wall-to-wall mirrors from Belgium.
About Chettinad temples: Originally built by early Tamil dynasties like the Cholas, the temples of Chettinad stand testimony to the spiritual beliefs of local people. Each temple has its own tank called oorani where water lilies are grown and used for holy rituals. Even today, much of Chettinad's daily activities are centered around the festivities of the temple."
About Chettinad temples: Originally built by early Tamil dynasties like the Cholas, the temples of Chettinad stand testimony to the spiritual beliefs of local people. Each temple has its own tank called oorani where water lilies are grown and used for holy rituals. Even today, much of Chettinad's daily activities are centered around the festivities of the temple."
So it was a pleasant surprise when we found ourselves at Trident Hotel, Chennai totally by chance. We were trying to get from Tirupathi to Shirdi, enroute Chennai for flight connections, on our India trip during monsoon season last year. We picked a hotel randomly, that was closest to the airport, to crash for the night and catch a flight early next day.
The hotel had all the elements from the Chettinad style of design while still carrying an edge of modern lines and amenities. Take a tour with me through my lens, identifying intricate details of this style of interior design.
The entrance, through the vestibule supported by temple pillars and surrounded by Tanjavur/Tajore paintings, transports you into a time capsule of what a Chola dynasty mansion could have looked like.
The atrium with the huge windows letting light in and exposed ceiling contributed immensely to an open and relaxing atmosphere. And when I say exposed ceiling, I mean jaw dropping, neck hurting but still can't take my eyes off kinda ceiling. What is it about exposed beams that adds so much character to a place? I feel ceilings are the most underrated part of structural design and good architects marks their craftsmanship in the ceilings that they design.
The juxtaposition of the marble floors and the teak wood provided balance between the cool stone and the warm wood tones. I instantly gravitated towards the water troughs filled with fresh water lilies emulating the Chettinad temples' oorani(traditional drinking water ponds). The collection of Thanjavur paintings continued at every turn you took in the hotel and felt like a treasure hunt to what you could find next.
The collage in the pictures above is that of architectural blueprints from a temple under construction. Details like these kept the eye moving in every direction, looking for stories you weren't prepared to listen but presented themselves nevertheless.
And the abundance of greenery in brass planters made any dull corner come to life. The palm trees surrounding the pool swaying in the cool evening breeze gave a surreal atmosphere to the outdoor seating area.
Nihaar with his freshly shaven head from Tirupati sat on the steps watching Sriman, who was trilled to test his newly acquired swimming skills. The mustard yellow lounging chairs contrasting the blue of the pool added just the pop of color, enticing you towards whiling away your time under the cool monsoon breeze with a book in one hand and a tropical drink in the other ;)
Talking about books, there was a cozy library filled with colorful books, waiting to be explored if you ever ran out of your own reading list.
The kids and I ordered room service while Kiran took off to meet an old friend in the city. We put our feet up, watched some good old Indian television show and called it a night.
I would highly recommend this hotel, if you ever find yourself in the city. Its a stone's throw away from the Chennai International Airport and the service was impeccable! The staff went out of the way to make us feel welcomed and at home during our stay here.
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Other reviews of places we visited in India..
The Bison resort, a jungle lodge on the shores of Kabini river, Karnataka
Serai, a coffee plantation estate and resort in Chikmangalur, Karnataka
And other travels..
Part one of a four part series from our trip to Maui, Hawaii
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