Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams Expand

Forget rose-colored glasses: natural light is a much cheerier filter at the newly expanded Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams in Back Bay. After six months of construction, the space has more than doubled in size, earning its standing as one of the brand’s flagship stores. Gone is the greenhouse that not only dragged the space’s aesthetic back in time a decade or two, but also leaked with every bad storm, according to store co-owner Andrew Terrat. In its stead are gleaming panels of glass – panels that, incidentally, survived a beating from Sandy – and a much more opened-up space.

Though Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams is a brand born in the south, the eponymous company owners are excited to be expanding their Boston location. Their aesthetic works as well up North as down South because, as Mitchell says, “It’s very American… other people have described it as quintessentially American, and I really enjoy that.”

Bob describes the store’s pieces as “modern contemporary, but with a definite vintage feel to [them]… We’re focused in on taking influence from late ’60s, early ’70s, but trying to make it a bit more comfortable for today’s lifestyle.” They’ve succeeded, if the retro designs paired with sleek, modern textures and peppy pops of color throughout the Back Bay store are any indication.

The store’s updated old-school vibe has earned pop culture-renown lately for its pieces’ cameos on The Good Wife. The store has even come out with its own line including products from the show – Will Gardner’s chair, Diane Lockhart’s desk, and Alicia Florick’s couch are all available for purchase.

Of course, neither Mitchell or Bob would reveal their favorite pieces in the store. “That’s sort of like asking a parent which child is the favorite,” Bob said, “though I’m sure they have one.” (This reporter, then, will confess to being especially enamored of the Luna Oval Dining Table, which was paired in the store not with uncomfortable, minimalist stools, but with upholstered chairs and bright, cushy benches.)

Also like parents, Mitchell and Bob confess that naming each piece of furniture tends to lead to major fights within the company. “Names are important – shoppers always remember the name of the piece they purchased,” Mitchell says. Hence the pressure to pick the perfect moniker for each piece. “That name’s too masculine! No, that name’s too feminine,” Bob jokes, reenacting a typical fight on the naming team. Oh, just paint the nursery yellow already and be done with it.