Best of Boston Home 2018

Olson Lewis + Architects / Photograph by Eric Roth

Architects & Designers

Bastions of creativity, these exceptional firms—ranging in style from traditional to contemporary—wield the vision to transform your home in ways you never thought possible.

URBAN ARCHITECT
I-Kanda Architects

The design gurus at this Charlestown-based architecture practice, helmed by married principals Isamu and Marley Kanda, see spaces not as what they are, but as what they can be. Take, for example, the 1915 Brookline abode—featured on a recent Boston Home cover—where the firm’s strategic removal of walls transformed a series of stunted layouts into one airy volume for cooking, eating, and socializing.

50 Terminal St., Bldg. 2, Unit 429, Charlestown, 646-228-1040, i-kanda.com.

YOUNG ARCHITECT
J.Roc Design

A rising star among city architects, J.Roc Design founder Jeremy Jih approaches each and every project with a unique blend of modernity and practicality. Case in point: a modular South End roof deck, made from rot-resistant Sapele wood, that can be disassembled and rebuilt if the homeowner relocates—no screws or nails required.

214-585-1847, jrocdesign.com.

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
Kimberly Mercurio Landscape Architecture

If designing outdoor spaces is both an art and a science, it follows that the varied portfolio of urban, rural, and coastal projects by Kimberly Mercurio—a trained landscape architect and ecologist—is the one to beat. With practices in Cambridge and Woods Hole, Mercurio counts a spruce-filled Falmouth yard with an infinity-edge pool and stone walls among her successes.

2 Mason St., Cambridge, 508-495-1075, kimberlymercurio.com.

KITCHEN DESIGNER
Divine Design + Build

When it comes to kitchen design, conceiving the proper layout is half the battle. We’d trust the Divine Design team to lead the charge any day: The Wellesley firm—which also boasts a stunning 8,000-square-foot showroom on the Boston waterfront—once revamped a dated MetroWest space by swapping a restrictive peninsula for a granite-topped island with storage and seating.

180 Linden St., Wellesley, 781-235-5650, divinedesignbuild.com; 2 Battery Wharf, Boston, 617-443-0700, divinedesigncenter.com. 

CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECT
Stern McCafferty Architecture + Interiors

Boasting expertise in architecture and interiors, Stern McCafferty delivers a powerful design punch to every home it touches, breathing new life into old spaces and building from the ground up with equal aplomb. For proof, consider the 1905 Cambridge abode the firm remodeled with a new two-story atrium, wrapped in oversize windows and Cor-Ten steel.

46 Waltham St., Ste. 302A, Boston, 617-338-1125, sternmccafferty.com.

COASTAL ARCHITECT
Botticelli & Pohl

If you ask us, principals Lisa Botticelli and Ray Pohl must be channeling the ocean blue when designing homes. Like the sea itself, their inspired creations encapsulate a simple serenity, combining classic shiplap paneling and vaulted ceilings with paned windows and kid-friendly built-ins.

31 State St., Boston, 508-228-5455, botticelliandpohl.com.

Jan Gleysteen Architects / Photograph by Richard Mandelkorn

TRADITIONAL ARCHITECT
Jan Gleysteen Architects

Perusing Jan Gleysteen’s portfolio, one word repeatedly comes to mind: timeless. With nearly four decades of experience under his belt, the Wellesley architect knows his way around traditionalism, dreaming up classic abodes—such as a grand suburban homestead with coffered ceilings and dramatic archways—that are built to last.

888 Worcester St., Wellesley, 781-431-0080, jangleysteeninc.com.

SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECT
A3 Architects

When it first opened its doors in 2011, A3 Architects pledged itself to sustainable design. Seven years later, the firm remains true to that commitment, masterminding projects including a net-zero Brewster home with solar panels and a strikingly modern glass staircase.

831 Main St., Dennis, 508-694-7887, a3architectsinc.com.

VERNACULAR ARCHITECT
Albert, Righter & Tittmann Architects

Call us biased, but when it comes to regional design traditions, New England has a lot to be proud of. The architects at Albert, Righter & Tittmann embrace that history wholeheartedly, executing new builds and renovations bursting with finely crafted millwork, grand stone fireplaces, and other nods to the past.

262 Washington St., Boston, 617-451-5740, artarchitects.com.

TRANSITIONAL ARCHITECT
Olson Lewis + Architects

Effortlessly straddling the line between traditional and contemporary, the elegant homes that spring to life on the drafting tables of this Manchester-by-the-Sea firm (think: a waterfront cottage with a double-height living area and sliding French doors) never fail to inspire.

17 Elm St., Manchester-by-the-Sea, 978-526-4386, olsonlewis.com.

CONTEMPORARY INTERIOR DESIGNER
Platemark Design

Picture a Cambridge living room, bathed in light from a swath of windows. A handsome wood buffet rests along one wall. Bold modern artwork hangs above it, adding bursts of color to an otherwise neutral palette, bolstered by plush sofas in creamy beige. It’s the type of tableau we’ve come to expect from creator Craig Tevolitz, of Platemark Design. Balanced. Refined. Exceptional.

45 Newbury St., Ste. 503, Boston, 617-487-4475, platemark.com.

Hudson Interior Designs / Photograph by Michael J. Lee

FAMILY-FRIENDLY INTERIOR DESIGNER
Hudson Interior Designs

Fun fact: Before embarking on a career in interior design, Jill Goldberg trained to be an actress. These days, the New Englander stars on a different stage, offering elevated yet approachable family-friendly designs replete with printed textiles, hand-picked furnishings, and distinctive accessories (a trio of bronze elephants for the bar area? Yes, please).

12 Union Park St., Boston, 617-292-0303, hudsoninteriordesigns.com.

TRANSITIONAL INTERIOR DESIGNER
Evolve Residential

If innovation is the name of the local interior-design game, then the Evolve Residential team has certainly mastered the rules. Flaunting sumptuous fabrics, a mix of classic and modern furniture, and an unrivaled use of color (see: a funky Marion beach house done in electric greens and blues), the spaces designed by this Boston firm are in a league of their own.

89 West Concord St., Boston, 617-424-0003, evolveresidential.com.

Evolve Residential / Photograph by Sean Litchfield

TRADITIONAL INTERIOR DESIGNER
F.D. Hodge Interiors

There’s a certain lightness to a Frank Hodge–designed space. His rooms are polished, but not stuffy. Artful, but not overdone. A self-professed traditionalist, Hodge has impressed us with projects ranging from a serene study with Venetian plaster walls and framed Claude Lorrain landscapes to his own South End brownstone, brimming with antique and custom pieces.

748 Tremont St., Boston, 617-267-8103, fdhodgeinteriors.com.

The Boston Home team has curated a list of the best home design and home remodeling professionals in Boston, including home builders and contractors, interior designers, home accent décor, and more. Get the help you need with FindIt/Boston's guide to home renovation pros.