The Best Residential Architects in Massachusetts

Last updated on August 14th, 2024 at 04:53 pm

Massachusetts is a unique blend of old-world charm and modern conveniences, with its long past, lively arts scene, and top-notch schools. From the peaceful beaches of Cape Cod to the busy streets of Boston, it is an excellent place to live and build a home. The state’s strong economy, healthcare, and high quality of life make it an attractive destination for potential homebuilders.

One of the most significant investments you can make is building a house. Massachusetts has a median home worth $630,000 and about 7 million people living there. It is home to a considerable number of architects and contractors. The state’s building department says that there are about 25,000 professionals who are ready for residential projects. High-end projects cost $550,000 or more, and the average home improvement job costs between $150,000 and $400,000. It costs about $69.33 per square foot and can take about nine months to complete. 

Realizing your dream home requires more than just an idea-it requires a skilled architect. The right architect will bring creativity and uniqueness to the design and ensure that the project stays within budget and on schedule. They will navigate the complex landscape of building codes, zoning laws, and permit requirements, allowing you to focus on the exciting aspects of creating your dream home. This guide will help you find the best Massachusetts residential architects to work with. 

Overview: The Best Residential Architects in Massachusetts

See Ranking Methodology at the bottom of this article to learn more.

Flavin Architects

175 Portland St #6, Boston, MA 02114

Based in Boston, Flavin Architects is an award-winning firm specializing in natural modernism. This approach considers the site’s context when creating designs. The goal is to blur the lines between the surroundings and the home’s interiors. The firm incorporates timeless materials, axial views, and transparency into the design to achieve this goal. Residents thus have 360-degree views of the natural landscape surrounding their homes. The firm uses cutting-edge techniques to efficiently create home systems that use water, light, and energy. 

Founding principal Colin Flavin, AIA, directs the firm in producing stunning contemporary designs. Flavin finished his master’s at MIT with a Chamberlain Prize for Design Excellence. Over the years, the firm’s natural modern approach has created many stunning designs that have attracted the attention of the press. New England Home Magazine, Dwell Magazine, Boston Magazine, and Forbes have all published the firm’s work. 

One of the firm’s expertly designed contemporary homes is the Tanglewood Modern home in Lenox. This scenic home is designed for a growing extended family and captures simplicity, relaxation, and privacy. Flavin designed the home to encapsulate a sophisticated living that connects with its rich natural surroundings, secluding it from its neighbors. The south-facing slope location of the home perfectly captures the summer sun, while the home’s unique shape allows rainwater to be channeled through its scuppers, creating a stunning waterfall effect during heavy rains. Its spacious and comfortable design allows its owners to host intimate and large gatherings for families and friends. 

Cummings Architecture + Interiors

57 South Main Street, Ipswich, MA 01938

Cummings Architecture + Interiors specializes in creating creative custom homes. The firm focuses on design details that make a home special for its owners. Over the years, the firm has completed countless projects with various home styles, including ranch, colonial, and traditional. Its designs have been featured in Northshore Home, HGTV Magazine, and Forbes. 

The firm’s creatively designed homes are mostly award-winning, including the Oceanfront Shingle Style home in Gloucester. Starting from the main entrance, the house instantly makes an impression. The elevated location of the home instantly shows the jaw-dropping water views at the back. The exterior façade, peppered with intricate details, sets the tone for the rest of the home. Every detail in and out of this residence is special: the custom trim work, the fabulous living spaces, and the sprawling ocean views. This charming home has been featured in the North Shore Home Magazine and has won two design awards, including the Gold Prism Award. 

Mathew Cummings, AIA, serves as the firm’s principal. Cummings is a Boston Architectural College alumnus who has designed many impressive homes in New England. He has built his reputation over 23 years through his projects and affiliations with various professional organizations, including the Boston Society of Architects. 

Peter Rose + Partners

242 East Berkeley Street, 5th Floor, Boston, MA 02118

Peter Rose + Partners believes that architecture is about the long term. That means building structures that last by focusing on quality and efficiency. It means using sustainable design practices. By using the right construction methods and materials, the firm builds green homes that positively impact the environment. It has earned massive recognition for its quality and professionalism, earning its spot as a leading Massachusetts architect.

A sample of the firm’s sustainable designs is the Island Residence. Recipient of the ​Green GOOD DESIGN™ Awards for Architecture, this Edgartown home features a contemporary design built with the least environmental impact. The entire structure is built while preserving all trees and branches surrounding it. Cedar and large glass panels work together to manage the house’s heat and light flow. The green roof improves insulation, rainwater management, and air quality around the house. This massive structure is impressive on many levels, composed of four structures, including the main house, a garage, a storage area, and a boathouse. 

For its outstanding designs, the firm has graced many publications, including AIA NY, New England Home, and the Financial Times. The brain behind the firm’s continuous success is Peter Rose, FAIA. A Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, Rose is a respectable architect with a master’s degree from Yale University. His vast industry experience has qualified him to become a professor at Harvard and Princeton. 

Nicholaeff Architecture + Design

891 Main Street, P.O. Box 1034, Osterville, MA 02655

Nicholaeff Architecture + Design is a design and architectural firm that merges science and art. Through research, the firm assesses the site’s geography, topography, and geology and responds through its designs. Science is how the firm finds new ways to formulate creative design solutions. Using this approach, the firm has produced many visually appealing homes in New England, New York, and Florida. 

A sample of the firm’s striking homes is Great Island. The Silver Winner of the BRICC Awards 2016, this shingle-style home is visually interesting from all angles. The balconies wrapped around the home and the rooftop terrace add a dynamic shape to the structure. Inside, the home has a traditional, clean style. The wide doors and windows provide ample light and fabulous natural views.

Doreve Nicholaeff, AIA, leads the firm’s team of experts in creating stunning, research-based designs. Member of the Royal Institute of British Architects, Nicholaeff has served many clients in and out of the U.S. She is a proud alumnus of the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg and has a master’s degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 

Charles Rose Architects

115 Willow Avenue, Somerville, MA 02144

Charles Rose Architects promises to create a sensory experience through architecture. It delivers on this promise by designing in response to site and environmental contexts. By responding to the existing terrain and natural landscape, the firm creates visually appealing and sustainable designs. 

Showcasing the firm’s site-specific design is the Orleans House. This massive home has been divided into four sections in response to the site’s topography. As a result, the house features varying floor levels, adding depth and layers to the structure. Every step found inside and outside the house traces the site’s terrain. There’s a graceful flow of energy between the house and its surroundings through the curves and lines used in the design. Concrete, cedar, granite, and mahogany unite the home to itself and the environment. The firm collected several awards for creating this architectural marvel, including The Chicago Athenaeum’s American Architecture Award. 

Charles Rose, FAIA, founded the firm with the intention of appealing to the ecological, cultural, and historical context of a place. This vision and his degrees from Harvard and Princeton have aided Rose, as evidenced by his many award-winning works. Charles Rose is interviewed as he tours Charles Rose Architects’ Copper House” on Extreme Homes: “Secret, Shoe, Art.” Season 5 Episode 10 from HGTV. His work has been published in Maine Home + Design, Boston Herald, and The Architect’s Newspaper.

Jacob Lilley Architects

103 Central Street, Wellesley, MA 02482

Jacob Lilley Architects mixes traditional architecture with a clean, modern approach. It examines the historical context of a project site and creates simple designs inspired by the past. The firm considers the client’s needs, timeline, and budget when creating straightforward designs. 

A sample of the firm’s simple yet spectacular design is House No. 207 in Lincoln, Massachusetts. Previously owned by former president John Adams, the property’s location has been touched by well-recognized architects Fredrick Law and Henry Hoover. For the firm, this rich background was an exciting challenge. In response, the firm created a contemporary home that addresses the challenging terrain. The firm built a cantilevered structure on top of the hill featuring cedar, glass, and concrete materials. Indoors, the firm stayed true to its clean, modern, simple approach. The result is an elegant space that has enough drama to be recorded in history in its own right. 

Founder and principal architect Jake Lilley, AIA, directs the firm in using a simple, effective approach in designs. Liller is a Cornell University graduate with over 23 years of industry experience. Under his guidance, the firm has been featured in many publications, including Boston Magazine, New England Home Magazine, and Wellesley Weston Magazine. 

I-Kanda Architects

50 Terminal Street, Building 2, Unit #429, Charlestown, MA 02129

Winner of the 2017 Design Honor Award from AIA Boston, I-Kanda Architects designs modern, enduring structures. It believes that a design must carry purpose and sculpture. A project is an opportunity to craft spaces that answer the needs of people and the environment. Making the most of its opportunities, the firm collaborates with clients and contractors to fulfill a homeowner’s vision. Over the years, the firm has earned massive recognition with many awards and features, including an article from Architectural Digest. 

The firm exhibits this expertise in the Barn House project. Featured in Architect and the Boston Globe, this barn conversion project involves the construction of a 5,000-square-foot loft. The century-and-a-half-old barn now contains contemporary interiors, a modern bedroom and bathroom, and polished concrete floors. The character of the old barn remains, and the exposed beams are seen throughout the house. These beams become the main accent as the whole house is painted white.

Isamu Kanda, AIA, leads the firm in producing purposeful, feature-worthy designs. He has been in the industry for over 15 years and uses his engineering and architecture degrees from Cornell University and Harvard University Graduate School of Design to offer a holistic approach to projects. 

Walker Architects

60 K Street, Boston, MA 02127

Walker Architects elevates spaces. It does so by combining architecture and interior design expertise in transforming homes. Based in Boston, the firm has designed many elegant and inventive spaces in Massachusetts and beyond

One of the firm’s elegantly renovated homes is the Modern Victorian home. The project transforms an old Victorian home into a 21st-century house in Cambridge, MA. While preserving many details of the Victorian style, the house has been redesigned with modern features to make it more livable and sophisticated. New features include a master bath with a glass-encased shower, a modern kitchen with a spacious island, and state-of-the-art equipment. The steel-glazed floor-to-ceiling windows and doors opening to the home’s garden are particularly inviting. Situated in an urban neighborhood, the house offers its owners a peaceful, calming retreat. The firm earned a feature in the Winter 2020 issue of Boston Home Magazine for its impressive design. 

Founding principal Bradford Walker, AIA, LEED AP, oversees firm operations. Walker is an alumnus of the University of Virginia and Harvard University with more than 37 years of industry experience. Under his leadership, the firm has collected many awards, including the Grand Award for Architectural Interiors from the Builder’s Choice & Custom Home Design Awards. 

Lim Design Studio

46 Waltham Street, Courtyard #3, Boston, MA 02118

Led by Diane Lim, Lim Design Studio, Inc. was established with balance as its guiding principle. Lim believes architecture and design are all about finding the perfect balance between traditional and modern, the old and new, and the outdoors and indoors. Using this guiding principle, Lim, a Cornell University alumnus and a member of the AIA and BSA, has transformed many homes, historical landmarks, and business establishments. Over the last 20 years, she has helped clients in Boston and the greater Boston area to create their dream homes. One of the firm’s well-executed homes is the Milton Residence in Boston. The home is a perfect example of finding the sweet spot between traditional and modern. Featuring a traditional exterior, the home smoothly transitions to modern design elements as one enters the house. One of the most exciting features of the house is its color scheme. The green-colored front door breaks the monotony of the white and gray exterior façade. The exciting color scheme continues in the dark-painted living room; contrasted with the connecting white-painted dining area, a dramatic effect is achieved. For its great balance of colors—as well as modern and traditional elements like wood flooring and modern lighting fixtures—the project garnered a feature in The Boston Globe.

Hutker Architects

79 Beach Road, P.O. Box 2347, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568

Serving clients in New England, Hutker Architects aims to create visually pleasing yet distinct homes. Each home combines the homeowner’s vision and the firm’s response to the home’s location. The firm believes each home is intrinsically connected to the environment, so it aims to create designs that embrace natural settings. By partnering with the best landscape architects, the firm creates an experiential outdoor lifestyle for homeowners. 

One of the firm’s exceptional homes is The Nest. Perched on a bluff, this unique home looks like a luxurious nest with fantastic water views. Inspired by a bird’s nest, the design features stacks of twigs, branches, and pebbles found in the living room fireplace and outdoor pool grotto. These materials are sourced directly from the site’s surrounding woods. Combining wood with sleek finishes, exposed beams, and glass doors and windows in the design, this creative home has a style of its own. 

Many organizations and publications, including Boston Design Guide, BUILDER Magazine, Residential Design Magazine, and The Wall Street Journal have celebrated Hutker Architects. In 2021, the firm was awarded Excellence in New Construction for homes greater than 8,000 square feet by BRAGB. Mark Hutker, FAIA, is the creative genius behind these designs. He has handled many residential, institutional, and commercial projects in the U.S. 

SV Design

126 Dodge Street, Beverly, MA 01915

Over the years, S.V. Design’s transformative designs have resulted in perfect harmony. The firm is committed to creating unique spaces that are in harmony with its client’s vision and its team’s creative direction. It finds harmony in integrating architecture, landscape, and interior design practices. The firm consistently produces spaces that stand out by effectively working with all these elements. The firm’s standout designs have won several recognitions. In 2021, it was the Silver Winner for Excellence in Outdoor Living Space Design in the over $100,000 category by the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Cape Cod (HBRACC). S.V. Design is also a press favorite, gracing the pages of New England Home, Northshore Home, and Cape Cod Home multiple times, earning its reputation as one of the best Massachusetts architects. 

The Inside Out project is a sample of the firm’s inspiring residential designs. Located on Boston’s North Shore, the home benefited from the firm’s architecture and interior design expertise. Inspired by the house’s location, the renovation project morphed into a total house transformation. The new home features natural materials—wood, stone, and metal—that harmonize perfectly with the home and the environment. Working well with the surroundings, the woods around the house are a natural privacy feature. The home’s main entrance gives a secluded feeling; at the back, the house opens to spectacular surroundings. It is a true oasis built for the resident’s privacy and relaxation. 

Balancing interior, landscape design, and architecture elements are co-founders Thaddeus Siemasko and Jean Verbridge. Siemasko, AIA, is a Harvard University graduate with a master’s in management and architecture from Boston University and the University of Michigan. Verbridge is a member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) and the International Interior Design Association (IIDA). They inspire the team to undertake a collaborative approach to each project. 

Sam Kachmar Architects

357 Huron Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138

Featured regularly in Boston Magazine, Sam Kachmar Architects (SKA) uses technology to its advantage. With “Virtually Home” as its tagline, the firm uses visualizations and virtual reality to help clients imagine their dream homes. By using this technology, clients can rest easy during the rest of their process, knowing that their home’s design is perfect. 

Through hyper-realistic visualizations and virtual reality, the firm has perfectly executed residential projects in Cambridge and the Greater Massachusetts area. One of these projects is the Avon Hill Renovation project. This Queen Victorian home in Cambridge needed its windows and interiors updated. The firm answered the brief and exceeded expectations. It seamlessly added new windows and custom cabinetry to the home’s living room. The 3,500-square-foot interior space has an updated look that blends well with the house’s existing architecture. 

The firm has earned many awards for its contribution to the industry, including the Citation Award in the Small Firm category from the BSA Design Awards. The firm is led by owner and principal Sam Kachmar, AIA, LEED AP, C.S. Kachmar is an architecture graduate from Syracuse University with over 20 years of industry experience.

MPG Home Design

10 Railroad Street, Newburyport, MA 01950  

Based in Newburyport, MPG Home Design specializes in making homeowners happy. With expertise in residential design, the firm collaborates with clients to produce the homes they deserve. It has been offering its professional architecture, interior design, and project management services to clients in New England and the surrounding area. The firm offers holistic services in new construction, home renovation and addition, and bathroom and kitchen remodeling. It provides all these exceptional services at an affordable cost. 

Northshore Magazine, Exhale, and Design New England featured the firm and its impressive work. One of the firm’s most publicized projects is the River Home Complete Renovation and Additions. Shown in a commercial advertisement aired on CNN News’ primetime slot, this project involves transforming a massive home into a vacation getaway. The firm provided full architectural services for this project, including interior, landscape design, and new construction. The firm built a 2,000-square-foot barn on the property and a dock, giving homeowners easy access to the water. Reclaimed materials used in the construction process provide an eclectic ambiance to the house while minimizing environmental impact. 

Mindi Poston Gay, Associate AIA, heads the firm in creating thoughtful designs. Gay is the firm’s principal designer of architecture and interiors and has been in the industry for over 26 years. She graduated from Boston Architectural College’s architecture program. 

PionArch, LLC

501 Cabot Street, Suite 8C, Beverly, MA 01915

Winner of the 2021 Readers’ Choice Award for Best Design & Build in North Shore Home Magazine, PionArch focuses on client satisfaction. Serving clients in Massachusetts’ North Shore Area, the firm excels in design and construction. Its expertise includes residential and light commercial construction projects. In building homes, the firm uses quality materials that are durable and sustainable. Building homes that will stand for centuries and promote a healthy lifestyle is part of ensuring client satisfaction. 

One of the firm’s outstanding projects is the New House Construction in Ipswich. Facing a challenging topography, the firm used its team’s creativity and partnered with engineers to provide efficient solutions for the project. The result is a sturdy home with hints of a beach house style. Blue and white are the chosen colors in the interior and exterior, giving the house a relaxing, fresh look. The 2,400-square-foot home contains a spacious living room and kitchen, three bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. Outside, a deck is constructed to provide guests with an area to enjoy the lovely views. Clients were impressed with the firm’s performance, noting the team’s professionalism exhibited throughout construction. 

The firm’s team of experts consists of co-founders ​​Lidia Szydlowska and Michal Szydlowski and the director of design, John Hamilton Hale. Lidia Szydlowska, AIA, IIDA, is a master of architecture and interior design with over 15 years of industry experience. She holds a master’s degree from Boston Architectural College. Hale, AIA, has honed his industry expertise for over 40 years. Michal Szydlowski is a general contractor managing the firm’s construction.

Meyer & Meyer

396 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215

Meyer & Meyer, Inc. is a Massachusetts architect who is an expert in historical styles. It has designed many imaginative homes with quirk and character. In visualizing designs, the firm’s artistic team uses the time-tested way: drawing. Through the design team’s unmatchable talent, these drawings create an exciting design visualization that clients look forward to. Regardless of style, each home is designed to use superior quality materials intended to last for centuries. 

One of the firm’s most interesting designs is the Archangel Estate. Like sturdy castles of earlier times, the house features an exterior façade constructed with stones. This façade creates an arch in the middle, leading to an impressive front door with custom bronze and lead glass detailing. The firm designed the main living spaces around a historic beach tree that serves as the property’s pièce de résistance. The firm was named the Tucker Design Award Winner in 2020 for excellence in designing this property. New England Home has covered this impressive property. 

The firm’s outstanding outputs result from the leadership of founding principals John Meyer Jr. and Laura Meyer. John Meyer, AIA, LEEP AP, has a degree in Urban Design Studies from Harvard Graduate School of Design and a master’s from MIT.  Laura Meyer finished her interior design degree at the Maryland Institute College of Art and her graduate studies at Washington University in St. Louis. Her affiliations include the National Council for Interior Designers (NCIDQ) and IIDA. Together, they bring more than 75 years of industry experience to create never-before-seen homes in different parts of the U.S. 

Oak Hill Architects

472 Boston Post Road, Weston Center, MA 02493

Oak Hill Architects was established to help its clients with their unique architecture and design needs. With expertise in different styles, including contemporary and traditional, the firm is guided by these three elements when approaching all projects. The firm balances architectural elements to create distinct homes according to the client’s vision, whether it’s a new construction, renovation, or addition. Boston Design Guide and Wicked Local appreciate the firm’s designs featuring them in their publication. 

One of the firm’s most notable designs is the Seaside Retreat. This project features an imposing Dutch Colonial home in rolling farmland with spectacular ocean views. The owner’s desire to create a multi-generational home inspires the design. Using a traditional style, the firm created a well-proportioned house with note-worthy details, including stone archways, gambrel rooflines, and cedar shingles. At the center, a courtyard is positioned to host family celebrations for generations to come.

Andrew J. Reck, AIA, is responsible for the firm’s admirable vision in architecture and design. Reck is affiliated with the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art (ICAA) and the Boston Society of Architects. He is a proud alumnus of the Rhode Island School of Design with more than 17 years of experience in the field. 

Ranking Methodology

To evaluate the performance of architects, our methodology employs a systematic approach that considers various factors contributing to customer experience and satisfaction. We focused on assessing the residential architects in the Massachusetts area. The methodology involves assigning weightings to specific categories based on their significance in determining customer service quality. Here’s the breakdown of the categories and their respective weightings:

• Average Customer Satisfaction (35%): This metric represents the average rating given by customers across the same review platforms as the Average Customer Satisfaction Score. A higher average rating indicates greater overall satisfaction with the service provided.
• Service Rating Score (25%): We analyze the ratio of high (4-5 stars) to low (1-2 stars) ratings for each business across multiple review platforms: Google, Houzz, and Yelp. A higher percentage of positive reviews contributes to a higher score, reflecting better customer satisfaction.
• Complaint Percentage (25%): We analyze the ratio of complaints to total reviews for each business. A lower complaints ratio indicates better service quality and results in a higher score.
• Business Hours and Availability (10%): The operating hours of each business are assessed to gauge accessibility. Companies with extended operating hours are awarded a higher score, as they offer greater convenience to customers.
• License Status (5%): We verify the licensing status of each contractor with their local licensing board to ensure legal compliance. Companies with valid licenses receive a higher score, reflecting professionalism and adherence to regulations.
• Total Score: We determined the overall rating for every contractor by calculating a weighted average, with the category weight determining the amount the subscore contributed to the total score 

Additional Note: Service Rating Score, Average Customer Satisfaction, and Complaint Percentage are calculated with a Bayesian estimate to account for if the contractor has a low number of total reviews. A Bayesian average is a statistical method used to calculate the average of a set of data points while taking into account prior information or beliefs about the distribution of the data. It combines the observed data with a prior distribution to generate a more accurate estimate of the true average.