Nichols Design Group

04/20/2026

04/20/2026

Progress shot. Sunday site visit in Sherborn. There are times when an “open concept” is just dead wrong. This client’s former designer had taken down the dining room walls in hot pursuit of an open plan. Exposed in a high traffic area, the dining room now felt like a cold meeting space stuffed into the corner of a church basement. While David had been hired by the contractor for an hour to sort out exterior paint colors, he felt it would be designer malpractice to walk away from this space without offering a fix. Together he and Dewey proposed closing it off, creating an elegant arched opening from a newly created “gallery” into the dining room. We can start to feel the procession of intriguing spaces unfolding as we move through the house. The client is beyond happy. There are lots of stories to be told here, more to follow.

11/03/2025

Today our tent got a little smaller as we said Shalom to our dear, gentle friend Sue. She and her husband Al were Dewey’s very first clients in Boston. Over the years we would become an extension of family, our lives would become entwined cousins and friends. Countless times we’d be invited for dinner, or Seder, getting thrown into the mix of family and friends. Meals at Sue’s house were a living example of the loaves and fishes parable. There was ALWAYS room at the table and there was ALWAYS enough food for anyone and everyone. With each new arrival, the conversations would get louder while Sue looked on with a gentle expression of deep satisfaction. She did not need to be heard, her role was convene those she loved, feed them and let the magic happen. Heaven help the one who brought a dish or offered to clear the table. She would have none of it. Sue was in charge. Over the years her family and friends became entwined in our lives, and today are among our favorite people. After Al died we would meet her at restaurants or pick her up for a date. True to form, we could never ever pick up the check. We love you dearest Sue. You will be missed. Shalom

11/03/2025

“Award Winning”. We are delighted to announce we were recognized last week by with a award for excellence in commercial design. Our project for Holtzman Medical Group at 1180 Beacon St in Brookline was a full gut renovation in a storied prewar building. Leaning in to Dewey’s background in store design and David’s experience with luxury brands, we were able to bring Dr. Holtzman’s vision of a modern medical suite that elevated the patient experience and positioned his brand as a top tier care provider. Incorporating branded touch points in commercial work is too often overlooked by business owners and runs deeper than sticking a logo on the wall. Bringing Nichols Design Group on early, many months before the site was finalized, we got to know the client, his team and their process. The most successful parts of design work are often unseen. A good floor plan is a silent concierge guiding visitors thoughtfully through the space. Soundproofed walls and doors, acoustic ceiling tiles overhead and quality carpet under foot make patients feel safe, their privacy respected. Ample storage keeps work surfaces free of clutter and gives a sense of professional discipline and order.

11/01/2025

Developing schemes for a client’s 20x24 dining room in her Sherborn home which reflects her understated taste and passion for horses. We want the dining room to reveal her feminine glamorous side, a colorful, sparkling jewel box. An unexpected Faberge egg amidst the tailored tweeds and camel hair. Glazed walls, silk curtains, an antique rug, golden ceiling, an enormous abstract painting in sherbet colors. Friends sitting around her parents beloved dining room table set with their Limoges china.

10/23/2025

Building owners, no matter their political affiliation, blue, red or purple, would be outraged if a short term tenant at will, paying no rent tore their building down without permission. A hellscape of court orders and lawsuits would be unleashed. Survivors of even a small renovation project within an historic preservation zone know making changes to a protected building requires clearing many hurdles, and jumping through many tight hoops. Approval for trivial changes can be a logic defying, time consuming process we would all prefer to avoid or ignore. As architects and designers, we know there is a time honored and proven process to develop a coherent design for any building. Programming alone for a 90,000 square foot space would take many months with input from all stakeholders, followed by site surveys, multiple feasibility reviews and impact studies. We’d present the client (the owners) various schematic designs, absorb their feedback before a design can be developed or a bid set of construction documents created. So to witness the demolition of The White House, The People’s House - the most revered and symbolically important buildings in the world, at the whim of its current tenant is shocking and repugnant; and yet emblematic of his distruction of everything else we hold dear.

09/05/2025

A quick meeting with our friend Cynthia First in Acton. For a rug addict her showroom is a like a candy store. We fell in love with this custom designed wool Jajim beauty hanging in the entryway.

07/11/2025

I’m in love with this Gabe rug we found at - it was perfect for the space. Thank you Cynthia First ❤️👍

07/11/2025

Worked with today to photograph a Charlestown renovation we did with - we wore many hats today: creative director, lunch runner, furniture mover, an all round grunts. An honest day’s work.

07/06/2025

I think we have a happy architect tonight. Every project has its ups and downs and tense moments. There are always schedule and budget worries. But when the client, the design team and the contractor lean into their trust and respect for each other and the process, the results are beyond rewarding; everybody wins.

05/24/2025

There are decks; and then there are DECKS. This double-decker deck doubles the pleasure, doubles the fun. Overlooking Long Island Sound this deck is ready for its maiden cocktail-view voyage. A retractable sun filtering “awning” rolls out across the open coffered “ceiling” at the push of a button, helping to keep the house cool in the harsh afternoon sun. A recent project on Fishers Island - has a second level “widows walk” complete with a peek-a-boo glass floor, lending natural light to the main deck below. The finishes and details are yacht worthy, while from the harbor below the overall composition sits proud like a crisp white Greek temple cantilevered over the property’s steep hillside.

03/26/2025

It’s time to share what we’ve been up to these past 4+ months. Nichols Design Group was selected as the design team to bring Mona Dermatology to the East Coast. Wellesley can look forward to Dr Mona Foad’s unique blend of medical expertise, personalized care and innovation. Her team creates a dermatology experience unlike any other. The design process has been a joy and a creative challenge. This project is at the intersection of our expertise in health/medical, luxury residential and retail design.