Serra Charis is a 5,800 sq ft villa in Mumbai built for hosting. Completed in 2025, the residence was designed by Sumessh Menon and his firm SMA. The team included Shreeta Nair as a design lead, along with Rohan Shetty and Sanjana Chavan on the architecture side and Prathamesh Parab and Craig Gonsalves handling the interiors.
Contrast With Character
The name combines two ideas. Serrao relates to rugged mountain ranges, signifying strength. Charis comes from ancient Greek and means kindness and grace. The design balances these opposites. Earth-toned finishes and sculptural vertical elements create solidity. Tactile materials, gentle curves and finely crafted details soften that solidness.
Menon noted that grace appears in the generous proportions and muted colors. A rare feature for an urban home is the well-planned, spacious quarters for staff. This detail reflects the homeowner’s personality and his background as a restaurateur.
The home does not rely on a single design language. The team borrowed from a philosophy of functional opulence. It is a house that unfolds with ease, revealing layers of character and elements of surprise. It is a home where luxury is not ornamental.
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Designed To Welcome
From the outside, Serra Charis appears restrained with a compact floor plate. Inside, the home opens into an unexpectedly voluminous sequence of spaces. The ground floor holds the entrance lobby and a parking area. Above that, the family lounge floor is the first introduction to the home’s character.
A contemporary Catholic altar by artist Nitin Utge anchors the space with quiet reverence. The living room features a 25-feet double-height ceiling. A Travertine marble niche by Genuine Marbles and a Rhea Mehta crystal chandelier lend the room a grand sense of scale. Full-height fenestration by Beautex Windows brings in plenty of daylight.
An innovative 360-degree rotating 85-inch television sits at the center of the living room. It serves both the lounge and the adjoining eight-seater dining area. The television is encased in a custom-made monolith marble frame. It allows the entertainment center to switch between spaces easily.
The Ritual Of Gathering
The dining room connects visually to the living room, separated only by the large television screen. Everyday meals transition into festive gatherings here. An eight-seater dining table and wooden upholstered chairs with metal frames by Home ET TU anchor the area. The tabletop is an exotic marble in a single slab with a metallic base with an ombre effect.
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A beautiful frameless relief sculpture of the Last Supper by artist Subin Sukumaran presides over the dining space. The first floor also holds a modular kitchen and a signature SMA powder room. The powder room is chic and luxurious. Black, gold and earthy tones dominate with a ceiling wrapped in printed wallpaper by Elementto Lifestyle Wallcoverings.
The materials throughout the residence balance sophistication with durability. Tempesta marble establishes a refined foundation. Gypsum ceilings, handcrafted veneer panelling and custom furnishings by Home ET TU and Belmun Furniture introduce warmth and texture. Soft furnishings by Embelliish and carpets from Hands Carpets complete the interiors with quiet elegance.
The Private Sanctuaries
The first floor also contains two luxurious master suites. Each suite is an independent retreat with walk-in dressing rooms, vanity closets and capacious master baths. One suite has a rich forest green headboard against an exotic green marble accent wall. The master bath is wrapped in Petra Fusion marble by Genuine Marbles. The continuity of stone creates a cocoon-like setting.
At the level above, the third floor is dedicated to the family’s teenagers. The son’s suite has a custom-leather upholstered bed in a warm cognac hue. A basketball-themed headboard, side tables and study chair by Belmun Furniture reflect his love for athletics. Playful collectible art by Crepdog Crew and graphic motifs on the wallpaper by Elementto Lifestyle add youthful energy.
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The teenage daughter’s bedroom adopts a softer expression. A bed by Belmun Furniture is framed by an emerald fabric wallpaper feature wall. The interplay of curves against clean wall mouldings introduces balance and calm. A guest bedroom on the same floor ensures visiting family or friends have a quiet corner.
Above It All
The glass house at the topmost floor is the home’s most convivial space for entertaining. Equipped with a hospitality-style bar and kitchen, this lounge is ideal for small and mid-size gatherings. The terrace lounge features a grid ceiling crafted in veneer and custom-made flooring.
The glass house spills effortlessly onto the terrace, creating an indoor-outdoor setting. A well-stocked and fully equipped bar with pyrite elements from Home ET TU sits near generous lounge seating. Uninterrupted views of the greenery, Mumbai’s skyline and a nearby creek transform the space into the social heart of Serra Charis.