Veneer House | VSA Design Studio | Pune
Wood and Whisper: How a Compact Apartment Uses Curves and Veneer to Soften Every Corner
Some projects come with more than just a floor plan—they arrive with a history. When Vaishnavi Shinde, Founder and Principal Architect at VSA Design Studio, first worked with the client in 2023, it was in an office space in Satara.
A year later, the brief returned, but in an entirely new light: a home in Pune, compact in size but emotionally expansive, intended as a base for his daughters as they stepped into a new chapter of their lives.
The Challenging Brief
Tucked into a redevelopment project in Kothrud, this compact 940 sq ft, 3BHK apartment came with its quirks and constraints. There were no plain walls to begin with, as columns and beam projections kept interrupting every corner. One bedroom opened directly into the living area with no visual buffer. A balcony that never made it past the builder’s drawings left behind a sunken floor where it should’ve been. The bathrooms came pre-done, and the open kitchen needed a complete rethink. In short, it was a space with potential.
The ask, however, was simple: a calming space filled with earthy tones and warm wood. “We wanted to echo traditional richness, but within a modern Indian context.”
Design Strategy
The goal was to design a space that felt calming, contemporary, and tactile—anchored in warm wood and earthy tones, with a focus on natural veneer and material authenticity.
What ties the entire home together is a careful balance of tradition and modernity, of material richness and visual restraint. The home’s palette moves between creamy neutrals in communal spaces and cooler hues of greens and blues in the bedrooms. Colour is introduced through upholstery, while pattern appears in the form of linear detailing and grids. Veneer and brass accents anchor the space in a timeless Indian modern style that feels both rooted and relaxed.
To work with the compact layout, the design team embraced restraint. Curves became a recurring language. The first space to take shape was the living room. A low, out-of-place beam was cleverly concealed under a sweeping TV partition wall that set the tone for the rest of the house. “We realised the curve helped soften the rigidity of the space. Once we began, curved elements just flowed naturally into the rest of the rooms,” Vaishnavi explains.
The living and dining area, though modest in scale, was reconfigured to seat a family of five comfortably, without crowding the space. Storage was cleverly hidden behind seamless panelling and light-toned furniture that quietly reflected light and made the space feel brighter. Furniture layouts were reimagined. The builder’s original plan had no dining area, so a compact table with curved wooden legs and an Australian onyx top was custom-designed to fit without blocking circulation.
Since veneer wasn’t the most practical material for the kitchen, it was swapped for laminates and acrylic with subway tiles for backsplash, warm tones that echoed the rest of the home. The open kitchen was enclosed with a TV partition, visually separating it from the living area.
Contrasting yet Complementing Bedrooms
Each bedroom reflects its occupant’s personality, while echoing the larger material and colour language. Given the compact nature of the apartment, most furniture is designed as multi-functional storage. Another Vastu-oriented detail worth noting is that the only available placement for mirrors was directly opposite the bed—typically a no-go in Vastu. To work around this, the studio designed pull-out mirrors in the dressing areas instead.
In the Master bedroom, wood tones are paired with a chequered blue headboard that brings in a touch of old-school charm. The wardrobe, tucked under a beam, was extended to the ceiling to keep the space visually clean. Window frames were redone in veneer to maintain design continuity, and wooden flooring was introduced to enhance warmth. But the most interesting detail lies just outside the room. Since the door opens directly into the living area, it has been cleverly concealed within the TV partition extension—camouflaged under the same chequered panel design.
The daughters’ bedroom is more playful, yet just as composed. A subtle curve in the wall and headboard solves another structural quirk while adding softness. “It took us several iterations to imagine the furniture in this room—one that fits just right, both functionally and creatively,” reveals Vaishnavi.
In the guest bedroom, which is the smallest of the three, a dark wood and brass palette was chosen to keep things simple and grounded. The corner beam niche here was masked by a curve in the ceiling, and colours were deliberately kept out to maintain a sense of visual lightness.
A Quiet Revolution in a Small Footprint
With every detail—whether structural, material, or emotional—thoughtfully addressed, this compact Pune apartment becomes more than just a home. It’s a study in how softness can be crafted through curves, warmth through wood, and calm through considered design. In VSA Design Studio’s hands, constraint became character—and the result is a space that whispers, never shouts, but stays with you long after.
From concealed doors and multifunctional millwork to layered textures and a muted yet expressive palette, the apartment whispers rather than shouts—a serene, rooted space built not just for living, but for belonging.
Design strategy
This Pune apartment is a masterclass in designing with constraint, turning structural limitations into design opportunities. With every curve, grain, and seam, VSA Design Studio crafts a language of softness that transcends square footage.
From concealed doors and multifunctional millwork to layered textures and a muted yet expressive palette, the apartment whispers rather than shouts—a serene, rooted space built not just for living, but for belonging.
Interior Lover Team’s view on the Project
Some homes are shaped not just by drawings, but by intent. Veneer House, a 940 sq. ft. residence in Pune, designed by Ar. Vaishnavi Shinde, Founder and Principal Architect of VSA Design Studio, is one such project—where limitation becomes language and warmth becomes strategy. This apartment featured a fragmented shell characterised by beams, columns, and compressed proportions. Rather than resisting these conditions, the design embraces them with restraint and sensitivity.
A calm, wood-forward palette anchors the interiors, while curves emerge as a recurring gesture—softening edges, masking structural interruptions, and guiding movement through the home. Material honesty defines the space. Natural veneer, muted brass accents, and tactile surfaces establish a quiet richness, balanced by creamy neutrals in shared areas and cooler hues within private zones. Linear detailing brings order, while furniture and millwork are carefully calibrated to maximise storage without visual weight.
Throughout the home, design choices prioritise continuity and calm—from concealed transitions to multifunctional elements that preserve openness. Veneer House is not loud in its expression; instead, it leaves a lasting impression through balance, warmth, and thoughtful restraint—an understated home shaped for everyday belonging.
FAT FILE
Project Name : Veneer House
Design Firm : VSA Design Studio
Founder & Principal Architect : Ar. Vaishnavi Shinde
Project Type : Residential Interior
Client Name : Mr Atul Shinde
Project Location : Pune
Project Year : 2024
Project Carpet Area : 940 Sq. Ft.
Photography Credits : Ar. Abhishek Chavhan
About VSA Design Studio
VSA Design Studio is a Pune-based architecture and interior design firm established in 2023 by Architect Vaishnavi Shinde, has completed over 10-15 successful architecture and interior projects. At our studio, we believe that every corner deserves justice, and no detail is too small when it comes to crafting a meaningful space.
About Founder
Ar. Vaishnavi Shinde, founder of Studio VSA, graduated from BNCA, Pune in 2021. With a natural flair for designing spaces that radiate warmth and individuality, she started the firm in 2023 to bring her personal design philosophy to life. Her approach is rooted in empathy and practicality—blending aesthetics with functionality.
