Best of Boston Home 2012

Kitchen

Designer: Maryann Thompson

Where does the home end and nature begin? The lines are beautifully blurred in Maryann Thompson’s organic designs. Built with energy-efficient materials, her kitchens flow seamlessly into the other living spaces, and invite the world outside in.

14 Hillside Ave., Cambridge, 617-491-4144, maryannthompson.com.

Tabletop: Bliss

Owner Panamai Manadee believes that setting a perfectly dressed table is akin to styling a killer outfit. And indeed, here fine china in chic patterns — e.g., Bernardaud’s Japanese-inspired birds perched on gold branches — mingles with urbane accessories like highly polished steel citrus baskets from Alessi and Kartell’s whimsical gnome side tables. The resulting aesthetic is eclectic yet sophisticated, and suitable for both dinner parties and everyday dining.

152 Washington St., Marblehead, 781-631-2474, blisshome.com. 

Countertops: Cumar

Designers and homeowners alike are drawn to this Everett showroom for its smoothly honed slabs of granite and marble — not to mention limestone and quartz — in unexpected colors and soothing neutrals. Sourced worldwide by owner Angelo Cubi, Cumar’s stock graces the reception desks of luxury hotels as well as countless Boston kitchens and baths.

69 Norman St., Everett, 617-389-7818, cumar.com. 

Major Appliances: Yale Appliance

Whether you’re shopping for a sparkling chef’s kitchen or an economy-minded retrofit, the savvy team at Yale Appliance will be happy to expound on new technologies and product quirks, and quick to offer insight for every price point. On many weekends, local chefs offer cooking demonstrations and tasty treats in the store’s working kitchens, turning a boring shopping expedition into family-friendly fun.

296 Freeport St., Dorchester, 617-825-9253, yaleappliance.com. 

Custom Cabinetry: Venegas and Company

Those who gravitate toward the warmth and conviviality of the kitchen will appreciate principal Donna Venegas’s mantra: “Kitchens are not business; they are personal.” In Venegas and Company’s studio and 4,000-square-foot showroom, staffers work with a carefully curated list of cabinetmakers to design and build exquisitely customized culinary havens.

Boston Design Center, One Design Center Place, Stes. 620 and 624, 617-439-8800, venegasandcompany.com. 

Builder: S + H Construction

S + H’s work can be found at such institutions as Harvard and Boston’s Christian Science Church, but the firm also has a knack for smaller-scale projects — basement remodels, one-day repairs. The company’s restoration work on a 120-year-old residence on Brattle Street (which included matching the original puddingstone foundation) earned it the 2011 Cambridge Historical Commission Award — and our collective confidence.

26 New St., Cambridge, 617-876-8286, shconstruction.com. 

Cookware: KitchenWares by Blackstones

Boston foodies know this is the place to stock up on high-quality culinary accoutrements, from Calaisio to Le Creuset. Owners Jennifer and James Hill have made KitchenWares a social destination, too, offering local chef and author appearances and demonstrations like heirloom tomato tasting and cupcake decorating. Bonus: Knife sharpening is lickety-split.

215 Newbury St., Boston, 857-366-4237, kitchenwaresboston.com. 

Photo by Damianos Photography