INSPIRING
A precious collection of furniture and accessories informed the transformation of a characterless home that was in need of a little livening up…
LIVING ROOM
A quieter, more adult retreat than the main family room, this space was designed around the owners’ sofas and art collection, including the two paintings above the sofa by Ara’s uncle. Sofa, Roche Bobois. Rug, Jennifer Manners. Circular portrait in gold frame, Lorna May Wadsworth
HOME PROFILE
Widad Tachdjian and her husband Ara, who both work in financial services, and their two young children
A four-bedroom Edwardian semi-detached house in Belsize Park, London
LIVING ROOM
A bespoke shelving unit in ebony veneer, which reflects the Crittall-style panels in the back wall, showcases the couple’s books and decorative pieces. Ceiling light, Circa Lighting. Sofas, Roche Bobois. Cushions, The Conran Shop
DINING AREA
The Natuzzi table and chairs were much-loved pieces the family wanted to include in the design. A sofa and painting by Lorna May Wadsworth inject colour. Pendant light, Chaplins. Candlesticks, H&M Home
When Widad and Ara Tachdjian relocated from France with their two young children for Ara’s job, they brought with them a small but much-loved collection of furniture and artwork. The dozen paintings, two sofas, dining table and chairs and other small pieces would barely fill one room of the substantial new four-bedroom house in north London they’d set their hearts on. But they held the key to the couple’s vision for the warm, vibrant interiors they intended to create.
‘We wanted our home to be filled with energy and colour, incorporating a mix of different styles that would reflect the pieces we’ve collected over the years on our travels and from our African heritage,’ explains Widad. Before this could happen, however, there were a few other jobs to do, including remodelling the layout, which, despite the house’s high ceilings and great bones, required a redesign to improve the flow and maximise its potential. And, having been stripped out previously, the period fireplaces, ceiling mouldings and skirting boards needed to be reinstated.
Located on a leafy residential street in Belsize Park, the house is unusual in its construction. It is semi-detached, but also connected at the back to another property facing the opposite way, creating a block of four houses. As a result, the couple’s only garden is in front of the house and there are no windows at the back, so while the property is flooded with light from the two bay windows at the front, the back of the house is quite dark. The kitchen, located behind one of the reception rooms, only had light from a small side window, while the stairwell, behind the
