M-Geough Now Sells Matthew Studios Products to the Design Trade in Boston

Katherine Wildt O'Brien's home accessories, including her new line of hardware, recently found a home in the Seaport.

By Raquel Kaplan· 6/18/2014, 8:00 a.m.

Katherine Wildt O’Brien and her bunny, Matthew. Image provided.

Katherine Wildt O’Brien is the founder and president of Matthew Studios—named for her pet bunny, Matthew. Until recently, Matthew Studios was only available to the trade in Atlanta, Dallas, and New York, but good news for the Boston design community: M-Geough Company, a Boston institution since 1951 that represents over 25 manufacturers, is the newest home of the designer’s work.

O’Brien got her start in corporate lighting and interior design firms including Luceplan, Kartell, and Baldinger. In 2008, she left the corporate scene behind to focus on her design business. Now, she uses rough quartz crystal, semi-precious gems, exotic skins, and Lucite to make accessories, lighting, tables, and most recently, hardware.

“I wanted to get my hands dirty and make beautiful things, but mostly to follow my passion, and prove to myself you can be successful in a business that you also love,” O’Brien says.

She’s perhaps most well-known for her glittering custom lighting designs for Tory Burch and Kate Spade. While wandering down Madison Avenue and passing the Kate Spade flagship store, she saw her huge chandeliers right in the window. “It took my breath away,” she says. “It was a proud moment for me.”

The materials O’Brien uses are mostly from Brazil and Africa although a majority of the clear rock crystal is mined in the United States. The assembly and shipping are handled in her factory space in Long Island City, while the stone cutting and fine finishing are completed in New York. “The New York City studio is like a creative think-tank filled with huge agate slabs and rock crystal everywhere,” she says. “Designers love coming to visit and quickly become obsessed.”

Be sure to check out some of O’Brien’s favorite pieces in the gallery below, including the “Thea” knob for its gorgeous setting and the “Charlie Skull Knob” with malachite eyes, which the designer calls “fun and shiny.”

Work with your designer or architect to visit M-Geough at the Boston Design Center, One Design Center Place, Suite 410, Seaport. Info: 617-451-1412, m-geough.com. Matthew Studios is also available to assist with a wide-range of custom lighting and accessories. Info: 212-678-8626, matthewstudiosny.com.