Carved in stone and stillness

From totems to thresholds, Vcreate Designs crafts a cinematic dwelling layered in subtle spectacle

25 Jun 2025

Rooted in emotion, shaped by experience and above all, deeply personal. This was the space that a family in Mumbai wanted to call home. And so, they turned to Vibha Saraf, Principal Architect and Founder of Vcreate Designs, to shape those feelings into form. Called Apartment 50SEVEN, it spans 2,500 sq ft and moves with a quiet confidence — between soft restraint and sculptural boldness. It’s a space where every curve, texture and material carries a whisper of intent. A story told in boucle and brass, in mosaic and maroon, in custom inlay and the way light falls across a velvet chair.

The balcony features plants and planters from Plant People, with a custom panel by Evolve and floor tiles from Belleza. The dining area is styled with a vase from West Elm; Photography by Kuber Shah

Ways of personalising design

Right from the threshold, the home makes its presence felt. A deep raspberry-toned wall relief sets the tone at the foyer. Crafted like a tropical reverie in high relief, it creates an immersive entry moment that’s more performance than prelude. Below it, a warm oak credenza in sandy hues anchors the art with softness and function.

In the adjacent lobby, a fluid green artwork custom-crafted in FRP curves gently across the wall. It’s not just sculpture but a name panel, inscribed with the homeowners’ names, transforming identity into installation.

It’s these unexpected, personalised details that make the space feel like a story mid-sentence, nudging you to read on. According to Vibha, “The focus was on building a canvas that felt soulful where sculptural forms, natural textures and bursts of colour could coexist.”

Textures, totems and theatrics

The palette is rich but never loud: wine-red chairs, moss-green upholstery and ochre accents bloom gently against a base of greige, stone and lime plaster. Marble dances with brass. Boucle leans into veneer. Hand-carved wood shares space with cane, velvet and glass. It’s a sensory playsymphony, one that makes you want to reach out and touch everything.
Art Deco references thread through the furniture with rounded edges, fluted cabinetry and graphic motifs that feel more “future nostalgic” than retro.

The custom dining table and sculptural totem with a wooden ledge are both crafted by Vcreate, set against textured walls finished with Asian Paints; Photography by Kuber Shah

The onyx is sourced from Classic Marble Company, while the rich veneer detailing is by SuVeneers; Photography by Kuber Shah

One of the most show-stopping elements is a sculptural totem in the dining zone. Neither furniture nor art in the traditional sense, this vertical installation plays with scale, silence and symbolism. Its stacked finial-like forms draw the eye upward to in a space that otherwise flows horizontally. Rendered in a muted palette of ecru and walnut, it pays homage to both ancient monolithic forms and mid-century design sensibilities.

A sculptural home shaped by soul

And then, there’s the den — a love letter to light, texture and stillness. Here, a green boucle loveseat sits like a spontaneous smile under sheer drapes while black arched shelving frames personal treasures like stage props. The rug cushions each step. The palm-bladed fan spins in rhythmlike a quiet joke. “This wasn’t just a den. It became a favourite chapter in the home’s story,.” Vibha says. Elsewhere, details sing in lower octaves: a mandir concealed in a wooden niche reveals a golden core with intricate Pichwai inlay, and a fluid wall sculpture in the lobby spells out the homeowners’ names.

As the sun slips through sheer curtains and shadows stretch across herringbone floors, the story of Apartment 50SEVEN lingers not in spectacle, but in subtleties.