This Northborough Home Got a Top-to-Bottom Aesthetic Overhaul
When the homeowners relocated with no furniture and few design directives, Mariette Hedeshian set about creating a modern and vibrant haven filled with art and warmth.
In the breakfast room, a quartz-topped Room & Board table is paired with a chandelier depicting water-lily floral details from Circa Lighting. Beyond, in the living room, hangs a painting by Ukrainian artist, Zorsah. / Photo by Michael J. Lee
On the verge of relocating to Northborough from San Francisco, the homeowners called interior designer Mariette Hedeshian. “They said they’d purchased the house and weren’t bringing any furniture with them,” says Hedeshian, who runs her own firm, A Designer’s Touch. The home, with its popcorn ceilings, dated details, and drab yellow and brown colorways, needed a top-to-bottom aesthetic overhaul. The timeline was tight—yet Hedeshian was up for the job.
“The owners wanted the home to be unique, fun, and easy to maintain,” she says. They appreciated color, and it was key that the house was able to accommodate frequent guests. Otherwise, they entrusted Hedeshian to set the tone for the décor.
Hedeshian decided to go bold. “Every room is a different experience,” she says. The breakfast room walls are sheathed with a Phillip Jeffries’ mural wallcovering that depicts a moody tropical vibe. Purple tones in the library—which was previously a “boring room, with dark brown ceiling beams,” Hedeshian notes—create a soothing environment.
Abundant sun filters into the library from the skylight during the day, while a multi-arm brass chandelier casts a warm glow at night. / Photo by Michael J. Lee
White walls provide a clean backdrop for the arresting portrait by Rida Khalid. / Photo by Michael J. Lee
The dining room color scheme is more understated: a palette of white, blues, and black. The room’s centerpiece is a Pop Art Portrait by Rida Khalid that stands out against the white wall with its black background and cool-blue shading, which resonates with the velvet dining chairs.
Art is a focal point in the living room, where two abstract paintings by Ukrainian artist Zorsah evoke myriad emotions. “The paintings were commissioned three weeks before the beginning of the Ukrainian war,” Hedeshian explains. “We were informed that as Russian forces were bombing Kyiv, Zorsah had to flee because his studio was under fire.” Fortunately, he found a studio outside of the city and was able to resume painting.
COVID-induced supply chain delays impacted the project constantly. “We made many design changes because furniture arrived broken or was backordered,” says Hedeshian. The homeowners moved in before much of their furniture arrived and used lawn chairs in the living room for a time. It all came together eventually: a total transformation that the homeowners, and their frequent guests, love.
In the master bedroom, molding was installed to add interest to the wall. / Photo by Michael J. Lee
