This Is Us

Studio Borges counters moody moments with cleansing palettes in a Needham new build, creating schemes that fit its young family.

Photo by Sean Litchfield

Thiara Borges Danenberg’s clients wanted their newly built home to look and feel uniquely their own. Modern farmhouse? New England coastal? Not for them. “We talked about trends that may be time stamps of the era versus creating a lasting home that feels like their family,” the founder of design firm Studio Borges says.

The homeowner, who loves color and pretty patterns that are a little bit different, knew that Borges Danenberg would infuse pops of interest in just the right places. “The energy Thiara brings to a project is amazing!” she says.

While the entry stays spare—the family’s three young kids need room to run around—arched pendants in burnished brass pop against white walls. “The lighting all feels like a natural extension of each space,” the designer says. “And brass shows up in every room for warmth.”

Abstract paintings by Natick-based artist Carolyn Evans pull the eye from the lounge through the foyer to the dining room. “They’re great punches of color and quirk,” Borges Danenberg says. / Photo by Sean Litchfield

“Her [the homeowner’s] personal style has a funky factor, so I knew she could handle it,” the designer says about fearlessly pairing the Noir writing desk and frenetic House of Hackney floral wallcovering. / Photo by Sean Litchfield

An unexpected pattern pairing—a moody take on an oversized 1980s-flavored floral for the drapes and tailored tapestry upholstery in a David Hicks–esq geometric for the chairs—enlivens the saturated space, while a cocoa-colored velvet sofa with a seventies silhouette invites guests to stay a while. “I think brown might be making a comeback,” Borges Danenberg muses.

A peek of the House of Hackney’s frenzied floral wallcovering beckons the eye into the wife’s office, where a massive desk with spool-turned legs holds its own at the center. “Thiara said she brought me two wallpaper options: fun and really fun,” says the homeowner, who went all-in for the latter.

On the other side of the entry, the dining room is the yang to the living room’s yin. Here, Schumacher’s ethereal “Cloud Toile” wallcovering adds a nuanced pattern above white wainscoting, and a cluster of swirled glass orbs float above an oak-topped table of Borges Danenberg’s own design. “The dining room is an uplifting moment that balances the dark living room,” she says.

Seating with strong lines—loden green, steam-bent beenhwood chairs by Blu Dot and black metal stools from Pottery Barn that the designer re-covered in vinyl—anchor the airy kitchen. / Photo by Sean Litchfield

A free-standing mirror by Jamie Young and a channel-tufted stool lend a hint of glam to the neutral primary bathroom. “I wanted a vanity where I could sit; that’s luxury to me,” the homeowner says. / Photo by Sean Litchfield

The back of the house is for family. In the seating area, a sectional with a swooped arm boasts performance upholstery, and an extra-large vinyl ottoman has hidden casters so it can easily move about. The room is airy and the furnishings neutral, save for a rosy crushed-velvet armchair and a bevy of throw pillows that the owner stashes in a cabinet unless she’s entertaining. “The pillows add so much, but my kids walk around with dirty hands,” she laughs.

To effect calm in an otherwise chaotic environment, the kitchen and breakfast nook lean into creamy colors and crisp shapes. “Think of it as a palate cleanser,” Borges Danenberg says. A row of tiles turned vertically on the backsplash and the pretty veining of the island’s quartzite slab elevate the understated space.

Borges Danenberg conjures a peaceful vibe in the primary suite, too, playing off motifs on the main level in a softer manner. The floral drapes are painterly, and the chairs’ geometric pattern comes from incised velvet upholstery. Like the kitchen, the primary bath relies on natural materials for interest. “The space is meant to give them a breather,” the designer says.

The clients adore their home’s alternate atmospheres Borges Danenberg created. “Her interpretation of my vision is beyond what I could imagine,” the homeowner says. “She gets me.”

Large-scale artwork by Mae Chevrette, whose studio is in the South End, infuses warmth, movement, and life into the primary bedroom. “We worked with materials and scale so the room wouldn’t feel massive,” Borges Danenberg says. / Photo by Sean Litchfield

BuilderFederow Development

Interior DesignerStudio Borges

First published in the print edition of Boston Home’s Fall 2023 issue, with the headline, “This Is Us.”

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