Bespoke of Winchester
Photo by Jessica Delaney Bespoke of Winchester’s custom kitchens look kind of like the ones you see on celebrity cooking shows (who hasn’t lusted after Ina Garten’s sophisticated backdrop?). Perhaps most important for the heart of the home, though, they also feel welcoming. That’s thanks to the team’s expertise in architecture and interior design, which allows them to offer clients a full-service experience, from space planning and custom built-ins to countertops, lighting, and hardware. 25 Thompson St., Winchester, MA 01890, bespokeofwinchester.com.
DTR Modern
Expect to find exceptional works by modern masters along with emerging and mid-career artists at this seasoned gallery on Newbury Street, which also has locations on Nantucket and in Washington, DC, New York City, and Palm Beach. Hunt Slonem’s iconic bunny paintings are always on display, and other notable pieces usually include those by lauded contemporary artists Alex Katz and Keith Haring. If you’re on the hunt for a Warhol or even a rare creation by Paul Gauguin, the highly knowledgeable staff has the means to hunt one down for you. 167 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116, dtrmodern.com.
Divine Design Center
The bathroom is where you begin every day, so a design that helps you start things off on the right foot is essential. Divine Design Center’s custom bathrooms have us dreaming of luxury spa showers and supersize soaking tubs — the kind of space that makes us late for work (worth it). Its designers are happy to help with projects of any size — from full renovations to simply updating the fixtures — all while balancing day-to-day function and efficiency with an aesthetic that speaks directly to you. 2 Battery Wharf, Boston, MA 02109, divinedesigncenter.com.
Hutker Architects
No two Hutker-designed homes are ever the same. Dedicated to sustainability and longevity, the firm works to connect structures to their gorgeous natural setting. That means using an expansive palette of materials to anchor homes to the landscape and adding wide expanses of glass and outdoor living spaces to take it all in. Good news for city dwellers: In addition to bustling outposts on Martha’s Vineyard and in Falmouth, Hutker now has a location on Beacon Street. 533 Palmer Ave., Falmouth, MA 02540, hutkerarchitects.com.
Hacin
Supporting the notion that “We all add something,” David Hacin and his team take a collaborative approach to all of the projects the firm undertakes. Over the past three decades, he has cultivated a talented 30-plus-member team, including a high-caliber interior design group. Innovative, open-minded, and enthusiastic, the firm strives not just to execute a client’s vision but to understand and connect with it as well. 500 Harrison Ave., Ste. 4F, Boston, MA 02118, hacin.com.
Catalano Architects
Classic, timeless, and inspiring are words that come to mind when you see a house designed by Tom Catalano. Committed to designing spaces that are both functional and enduring, his firm’s number one goal is to create homes that suit their inhabitants’ lifestyles. Equally as important is honoring the integrity of the structure and seamlessly integrating it with its surroundings — which imbues even newly designed abodes with a sense of permanence. 125 Pearl St., Boston, MA 02110, catalanoarchitects.com.
Tile Showcase
The tile in your home is as much of an artistic expression as any painting you hang on your wall — an opportunity to bring in colors, textures, and patterns. Tile Showcase has long been known as a mecca for all of the above, from stunning New Ravenna sea-glass mosaics to retro penny rounds and classic subway tile. Bonus: The showroom, located at the Boston Design Center, always has an extensive inventory of in-stock tile, so you may not have to play the home-renovation waiting game. Boston Design Center, Ste. 204, Boston, MA 02210, tileshowcase.com.
Monroe Home & Style
Housed in an old antique shop that’s been stylishly revived on Main Street in Charlestown, this charming boutique stocks glassware, design books, rugs, candles, tabletop items, and so much more. Products are always chic and often artisanal, all carefully curated by owner Donna Garlough, a former style director for Joss & Main who designed the shop to evoke the interior of a house so customers can get a sense of how items will look in their own abodes. 207 Main St., Charlestown, MA 02129, monroeboston.com.
Patina Designs
photo by Michael J. Lee Pauline Curtiss brings a level of unrivaled distinction to every space she works in. Gracing the ceilings, walls, and sometimes floors (though her work is far too lovely to be walked on, in our opinion) of homes all over the city and beyond, Curtiss’s custom designs are painted and sculpted with shifting colors that show movement. From geometric and floral patterns to graffiti motifs and themed murals — including one fanciful spin on Alice in Wonderland at a no-holds-barred house in Chestnut Hill — Curtiss’s range is unlimited. She’s also a deeply generous and compassionate person; just ask the loyal band of female painters who work for her. patina-designs.com.
Simon Pearce
Though widely regarded as the master of handcrafted glassware, and rightfully so (see: its shapely decanters, artistic champagne flutes, and soapstone-bottomed whiskey tumblers, to name just a few), Simon Pearce’s Boston and Chestnut Hill showrooms also offer an array of other tantalizing tableware. The Vermont-made stoneware bowls, minimalist dinner sets, and freehand-style coffee mugs beg to be admired (and brought home), too. Multiple locations, simonpearce.com.
MWI Fiber-Shield
In this day of open-plan living, and with pets and children in all areas of the house, stains happen. Thankfully, when your carpet takes a hit or the sofa gets spotted with red wine, the folks at MWI Fiber-Shield are there to help. It’s miraculous, really: With Michelle and Wayne Southworth at the helm, technicians clean furnishings using ecofriendly products that remove or rinse out even the most daunting stains and spills to reveal clean rugs, draperies, window treatments, and fabric and leather upholstery without changing the item’s texture or appearance. 516 E 2nd St., Ste. 3, Boston , MA 02127, mwifibershield.com.
Kochman Reidt & Haigh Cabinetmakers
Great kitchen cabinets need to accomplish a few things. They need to provide ample storage — that’s a given. They need to be convenient to use. They need to stand the test of time, deftly surviving the wear and tear of daily use. And, of course, they need to look good. Kochman Reidt + Haigh has this formula down to a science, offering custom cabinet design that checks all of those boxes and more, whether you’re looking for a rustic farmhouse kitchen or something sleek and ultra-modern. 471 Page St., Stoughton, MA 02072, cabinetmakers.com.
Cumar
A native of Verona, Italy, Cumar owner Angelo “Ivo” Cubi knows a thing or two about beautiful marble and stone. His family has been in the business for generations, and when he moved to the U.S. and founded Cumar in the 1990s, he brought his expertise with him. Today, homeowners looking for gorgeous granite, marble, and quartzite (often sourced by Cubi himself) find the highest-quality stone here, plus the know-how of the company’s designers and installers. 69 Norman St., Ste. 4, Everett, MA 02149, cumar.com.
Landry & Arcari
At first glance, we were overwhelmed by the sheer number of options at Landry & Arcari (15,000 rugs and counting across its three showrooms — not including the infinite custom options). That is until we got a little help from the experts, who guided us through the seemingly endless piles of beautiful handwoven rugs and helped us decide on our perfect match: a lattice-woven, silk-piled masterpiece straight from India. It was like finding our needle in a well-appointed haystack. Boston, Salem, and Framingham, landryandarcari.com.
Zimman’s
If you can't find the fabric you want at Zimman’s, you can’t get it anywhere. With four generations of experience, the team here offers an extensive stock of textiles consistently touted as phenomenal, including indoor/outdoor fabrics and luxurious embroidered pieces. That’s to say nothing of the custom reupholstery services, which can give everything from Grandma’s old settee to antiques-store dining chairs a new life. 80 Market St., Lynn, MA 01901, zimmans.com.