Boston Home Issue
Best of Boston Home 2025
Drumroll, please! Here are the best of the best—the most discerning architects, builders, designers, craftspeople, and retailers around Greater Boston and beyond.
Boston Home Magazine’s 2024 Kitchens Special
Our annual showcase of the most used room in the home.
A Brookline Couple Finally Transforms Their Backyard
An overgrown lot evolves into a multifaceted family oasis.
Feature
A West Roxbury Interior Designer’s Toughest Client? Herself.
In her own home, designer Rachel Reider infuses vibrancy and comfort along with key finds she’s encountered on the job.
Inside a Concord Colonial: Modern European Elegance Meets Historic Architecture
Designer Sarah Scales brings Barcelona-inspired minimalism to a 10,000-square-foot Massachusetts estate.
A Wellesley Cape Cod Transforms From Traditional to Trendy
Classic fades to contemporary when a much-loved Massachusetts home is reimagined for empty nesters.
From Fraternity House to Musical Sanctuary: A Beacon Hill Greek Revival’s Stunning Transformation
A home in Louisburg Square is meticulously rebuilt to accommodate the multifaceted lifestyle of its new inhabitants.
Inside a ‘Lumberjack Chic’-Style Needham Home
A young family relocates from the city to a suburban house designed to embrace the tree-shrouded setting.
A New Neutral-and-Navy Farmhouse Kitchen in Hamilton, Mass.
Designer Ainsley Hayes redesigned the central space to honor classic New England architectural styling.
Designer Taryn Bone Brings Dark Elegance to a Somerville Kitchen
Sleek and a little bit sexy, in this kitchen, the whole is greater than its parts.
On the Dark Side
A designer and homeowner bond over the color black amid rattan, fringe, and fur.
This Newton Kitchen Took a Colorful Risk and Won
A wall of burgundy cabinets created a moody elegance in this Massachusetts townhouse.
Interior Designer Kate Maloney Adds Modern Flair to a Winchester Tudor
A range of vivid wallcoverings set the tone for this 100-year-old home’s redecoration.
A Spacious Cape Cod Vacation Home for Large Family Gatherings
A new summer house exudes a timeless appeal.
A Modern Homage to New England’s Classic Boathouse Charm
A waterside property is designed to embrace its singular locale while providing the family who lives there ample opportunities to enjoy the landscape.
Department
The Italian Villa Grandeur of Boston’s Best New Restaurant
The décor of La Padrona, located in Raffles Boston, is as enticing as the fine-dining destination’s exquisite cuisine.
How a Painter and a Mathematician Revolutionized Carpet Design
JD Staron’s mix of modern aesthetics and artisanal craftsmanship makes for some ultra-distinctive carpets.
Milicent Armstrong’s Artisan Journey from Turkey to Marblehead
Artemis Design Co. marries Turkish textiles with American style.
At Newport’s Gardiner House, HBO’s “Gilded Age” History Meets Modern Hospitality
Inspired by Newport’s Gilded Age and named for an American painter, the 21-room boutique hotel beckons with distinction.
A Boston Townhouse Transforms from Dark Tradition to Modern Marvel
In the South End, a dreary, 1,900-square-foot home becomes awash in light and modernity.
The Hotel Portsmouth Gets a Modern Americana Redesign
The boutique New Hampshire guesthouse unveils a red, white, and blue vibe while honoring its storied structure.
Italian Immersion
David Hacin and members of his architecture and design firm ventured to Milan, Italy, for Salone del Mobile this spring. Here’s what they found.
The Grand Restoration of Boston’s First Church of Christ, Scientist
The 130-year-old Back Bay landmark just wrapped an extensive refurbishment you’d (deliberately) never notice.
What’s in Store
Casa Design expands iconic Italian furniture showroom Molteni&C; Poggenpohl reopens in the Back Bay; and Dress Boston, a women’s boutique with design appeal.
The Creative Evolution of Modern Tablescaping
For Cambridge’s Beatrice Sannino, tabletops are canvases for self-expression.
Portland’s Sea Bags Set Sail With Sustainable Style
This Maine-based company gives old sails new life as nautically inspired tote bags.
Other
Three Art and Design Books for Your Winter 2025 Reading List
Inside Dolce & Gabbana’s handmade collections, the beauty of design with Mark D. Sikes, and Alexander Girard’s impressive oeuvre.
Three Art and Design Books for Your Fall 2024 Reading List
Including a collection of architect Henry Hobson Richardson’s drawings and a tribute to Sybil and David Yurman’s dazzling jewelry.
Sea Life
North Shore native Erin Clark’s paintings distill the pleasures of days by the shore.
A Rhode Island Artist Paints Timeless Landscapes From a Lace Mill
Amy Wynne extracts colors, shapes, and words from the natural landscapes she loves, then puts them back together in flat, saturated hues, free of fuss.
Three Art and Design Books for Your Summer 2024 Reading List
Barbie fashions that are a perfect fit, the artistic prowess of basket maker Jeremy Frey, and inspiring homes on the New England coast.
Home Design
A Look Inside Gretta Luxe’s Chic New Wellesley Location
At her Central Street boutique, stylist Gretta Monahan creates warmth and intimacy while bringing in a little vintage glamour, too.
Inside a Wellesley Craftsman: How Designer Amanda Reid Blended Family Function with Elegant Style
A 1910 home is redecorated to suit a family of five beautifully.
Designer Kelley Elizabeth’s Bold Vision Transforms a Bedroom Space
A cavernous space is transformed into one couple’s dreamy primary suite with black, white, and blue tones.
A Boston Brownstone Goes From Three Rentals to One Fabulous Home
In the Back Bay, a broken-up brownstone becomes whole again.
Inside a Raffles Boston Residence with a Secret Batman-Inspired Room
A retired homeowner abandons his brownstone for a 28th-floor unit in a luxury high-rise hotel, tailored by his longtime designer Paula Daher.
British Charm Meets Historic Elegance in this 1850s Townhouse
SV Design energizes a historic Boston townhouse with color, English accents, and reconfigured rooms.
Here Is a Rare Andy Warhol of Senator Ted Kennedy
A glimpse of a Senator Ted Kennedy portrait by Andy Warhol sets Jack Yeaton on a years-long quest to obtain the piece for his home.
Restoring the Rustic Charm of a Truro Family Home
A Cape Cod riverside landscape is revived to enhance its free-flowing origins and keep sustainability top of mind.
Designer Meg McSherry Turns an Awkward, Cluttered Bathroom into a Luxurious Retreat
The Newton-based interior designer wows with a space enveloped in rich-hued tile, dark wood, and fine detailing.
Designer Katie Frazier Fills a Chestnut Hill Home With Clever Hidden Treasures
Comfort and convenience are key in this bright and beautiful family house.
An Osterville Kitchen Tailored for an Italian Host
An English country vibe unites an enthusiastic cook with her friends and family in this Cape Cod kitchen.
New England Nostalgia
Mother-daughter design duo Hunter Hill conjures a sentimental summer-camp vibe in a Cape Cod guest bedroom.
Inside a Nature-Embracing Midcentury Renovation in Lincoln
A 1950s home receives a contemporary update that connects to its spectacular surroundings.
Elizabeth Lowrey’s Living Room Showcase of Artwork
Cherished works displayed in the Boston designer’s home evoke nostalgia, reverence, and joy.
Arts + Entertainment
Winter Arts Events in Boston: Hugh Hayden and Tony Sarg
Where to go and what to see for your winter arts fix.
Fall Arts Events in Boston: Salvador Dalí & Manet
Where to go and what to see for your fall arts fix.
Summer Arts Events in Boston: Jewelry & Fashion Collections
Where to go and what to see for your summer arts fix.
City Style
Inside the Tranquil Parisian Elegance of South Boston Restaurant Petula’s
This Southie spot evokes the styling of a European café with an Old World charm and modern elegance.
Fashion + Style
Floral Fantasy
In fashion and interior design, floral motifs are blossoming in a big way.