Best of Boston Home 2011

In our quest to compile the ultimate guide to design and construction, we did our research just the way you would — by polling trusted industry pros, checking and cross-checking references, and pounding the pavement.

Here are the details: After issuing a survey to our extensive panel and assembling a list of contenders, we went undercover from August through October to test the recommended showrooms and service providers ourselves. Then we compared notes and, in some cases, returned for a second look. A few last-minute updates later, and behold: our most exhaustively researched roundup to date.