The Joyalukkas group is among the world’s most successful jewellery brands that started out in
in Kerala’s Thrissur.
The journey is used as a metaphor in a large-scale artwork in Elsa Joy Alukkas’s living room that depicts a lotus plant rising from the mud and blooming under the most difficult of circumstances. Created by award-winning artist Suneesh, it symbolises the strength and resilience of her father and founder of the brand. It is a journey Elsa deeply admires.
Another thing she holds in high regard is her roots. So, while the penthouse that she has just moved into on the 22nd floor of Joy Alukkas Gold Tower in Kochi is an ultra-modern construction, she wanted the home to reflect the culture of Kerala. She was also keen on using responsibly sourced wood, recycled pieces and antiques.
This was exactly what Meera Pyarelal of Thrissur-based design firm, Temple Town, kept in mind when she designed the home and furniture. “Elsa was not afraid of using colour and had an appreciation for all things vintage, which was a perfect match for my design sensibilities,” she says. The brief was to create a space for a family of six that was homely enough when they were on their own, but large enough to easily host extended family and friends. The sprawling 5,000 sqft area, which includes a formal living room for entertaining and a casual media room for lounging, fulfils these requirements easily.
The challenge, however, was the 90-day hand-over period, Pyarelal adds. “There was a family wedding coming up, so there was no scope for error. Once the designs were finalised, the first thing we did was to create a project plan, outlining every single detail, from furniture, fittings and accessories to delivery dates. We worked on a shift basis so that our workshops were functional round the clock. Every vendor, painter and artist was followed up with on a daily basis. We are proud to say we managed to deliver five days before the deadline,” she says.
Indeed, Pyarelal has packed a pretty punch in the tight timeline––starting from the vintage art that she picked up from the local antique market and an ancient cross, which she thought would be perfect for Elsa, a devout Christian. There’s also a leather-clad colonial desk against the backdrop of modern panelling, filled with antique stamps, evoking pure nostalgia, while the gold banana leaf pendant light above the dining table that Pyarelal designed, sets off the polished wood to perfection. “It was the imagery of little children huddling under banana leaves during the Kerala monsoons that inspired me to customise this piece,” she says.
Wallpaper has been used well in many spaces, especially the dining area and the blue bedroom, which houses a charming cane bed set against the backdrop of a Kalakarihaath wallpaper. The idea was to combine the tropical textures of cane and wood with the English shades of grey and blue.
“I absolutely love the marriage of design classics in the home, like the Regency and planter’s chairs and an old haveli door, which sit so very comfortably in a modern layout,” says Pyarelal.ell, so do we.