I'M A BARBIE GIRL, IN A BARBIE WORLD...
A Beloved Restaurateur Turned A White Home Into An Over-The-Top Pink-And-Green Paradise That Found A Buyer In Just 6 Days After A Bidding War. See Inside.
A beloved restaurateur turned a white home into an over-the-top pink-and-green paradise that found a buyer in just 6 days after a bidding war. See inside.
(Schillem "Nemo" Guerin of Alouisjean Media)
Whoever said subduing bright colors makes your home sell faster hasn't seen this newly listed house in Massachusetts.
Located in Somerville, a smaller city four miles outside of Boston, the three-bedroom house decorated in a riot of colors and patterns hit the market for $1.475 million on May 3. It drew 100 prospective buyers and curious neighbors during a weekend open house, attracted the attention of Zillow Gone Wild and a viral TikTok, then received multiple offers after being listed for just six days.
The person behind the vibrant decor: seller Deborah Hughes. Hughes is known locally as the co-owner of Upstairs on the Square, a beloved, fancifully decorated, and now-closed restaurant in nearby Harvard Square.
Hughes bought the 1860-built Victorian in 2002 for $400,000, according to Compass, but it didn't always have the Barbiecore aesthetic that it does today. Take a look inside.
The 2,137-square-foot home was all white when Hughes bought it in 2002, according to Franckum. Almost immediately, Hughes decided to add her personal touch.
(Schillem "Nemo" Guerin of Alouisjean Media)
Hughes started revamping the home right away, according to Franckum, and made upgrades constantly over two decades — from putting down cheetah print floors to adding pink lightbulbs in the closets.
"There's pinks and greens and corals and lavender and all sorts of hues that all blend together and look beautiful," Franckum said. "The whole house just glows. It's a real work of art."
The whimsical details of the home start on the front porch. Purple and green columns give you a sneak peek of the cacophony to come.
(Schillem "Nemo" Guerin of Alouisjean Media)
The door-knocker, like most of the house, is also untraditional. It's a leg that kicks rather than knocks on the door.
"When you are first entering the home, there's this little knocker — there's a little leg sticking out," Franckum said. "It's sort of foreshadowing the events to come when you walk into the other room."
Once you enter the home, you're greeted by a patterned floor and stairs painted in a cheetah pattern.
(Schillem "Nemo" Guerin of Alouisjean Media)
Hughes commissioned artists of her choosing to paint floors throughout the house.
"When you come into the house, the first thing that you see is very brilliant, dark hues of pink and coral," Franckum said. "She basically hired two artists to paint flowers and poppies on the floor, and plaid patterns."
The walls and decor change dramatically in the next room.
(Schillem "Nemo" Guerin of Alouisjean Media)
Most of the rooms are brightly painted — except for a half-bathroom on the first floor, which is painted a surprisingly subdued shade of white.
"Every single room is unique," Franckum said. "Every single room is painted in some beautiful shades of pinks, or, greens, or corals."
