Insider Pages Reviews for Duncan Hughes Interiors

4 Stars: Great experience overall (by oceans99)

oceans99 — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 09:00:00 GMT

It was a long time coming, but we finally decided to hire an interior designer. My mother and my husband were unsure of the value of such a thing, but having used interior designers before I knew a good one could be a lifesaver. Now that the job(s) are complete everyone in my family are converts (including my husband and mom).

It took a little while for us to get on Duncan's schedule, but once we did we felt like we were important clients. We started out by hiring Duncan Hughes to convert our teenager's room (who is now off at college) into a proper guest room. This involved not only carpeting, furniture, and window treatments, but some changes to the electrical in the room to allow for recessed lighting and power / cable outlets for a remote office. Most all of Duncan Hughes' recommendations were just perfect. Not always what we would have dared pick out, but ultimately the best choice for the room and our lifestyle. I always felt very involved in the process - he explained himself well, and made sure we were comfortable with the choices he was presenting us before we made any decisions. He was respectful of our budget (although we did go over budget a bit, there were some shipping charges that we did not plan on).

We are about to call Duncan Hughes back to (finally) upgrade our kitchen, master bedroom and master bathroom. I am really looking forward to working with Duncan and his team again! Thanks for everything. Amy, Bob, Matthew and Zoe, Boston.

5 Stars: Thank you Duncan Hughes Interiors (by rachaelmo)

rachaelmo — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 09:00:00 GMT

We had been using the same designer for 18 years, he moved away and we were scrambling for a replacement. Duncan Hughes was suggested to us by a family friend. What set Duncan Hughes apart -- besides his sophisticated interior design concepts -- was his project management skills. Every time we met he was so organized and always seemed to "see the big picture". His rates were competitive with other high-end designers in Boston -- and my husband has commented on the value of his work (my husband does not always say things like that!)

We are almost finished with our new apartment in Boston, and I can't wait to stretch out on the gorgeous chaise lounge we chose for the study and just enjoy my surroundings.... Duncan Hughes Interiors really did do a fantastic job, and we are happy to have a new interior designer we can depend on.

4 Stars: Home Sweet Home (by mrobby)

mrobby — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 09:00:00 GMT

Duncan Hughes was recommended by a close friend of my husband's, and I am so thankful that we received this recommendation. Over the past 8 months we have renovated our kitchen and one of our bathrooms, as well as completed the interior design and decor of our family room and living room. Duncan asked us lots of questions at the start of our relationship, then seemed to know what would appeal to us in terms of interior design from that point on.

We found Duncan Hughes and his team to be organized, professional, and very focused on the aesthetic appeal as well as the functionality of the final desgin. We learned alot about the complexities of the interior design process along the way. We liked the way that Duncan always gave us choices - we always felt like we were in control of the process. Our expectations were always set ahead of time (and in most cases the results exceeded our expectations).

I would recommend Duncan Hughes Interiors to anyone.

5 Stars: Interior designer par excellence (by toriandjon)

toriandjon — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 09:00:00 GMT

After a bit of a slow start (both of our schedules encountered some snags), we were off and running. From concept all the way through demolition, construction, furniture selection, drapes, and the final installation Duncan was a complete pleasure to work with. We stayed very close to the budget I had in mind and I couldn't be more pleased with the way things look now. I plan to hire Duncan Hughes Interiors again to reinvigorate our master suite and bathroom. -- Victoria and Jon, Brookline, MA

5 Stars: Not sure what I was worried about.... (by levisyes)

levisyes — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 09:00:00 GMT

I went into this with some apprehension. Truthfully, I wasn't even sure at first if I even needed an interior designer. My girlfriend suggested that I look into my options in regards to some upgrades I needed in my condo. The bathroom was stuck in the 80's - the kitchen was newer, but done by the previous owner and highly impractical. I also need some furniture and color advice and had no idea where to begin. I called Duncan Hughes Interiors after searching around on the web, and asking a few friends for suggestions. I met with a couple other designers, but Duncan Hughes really stood out as someone that I could work with on a collaborative basis (my girlfriend had some opinions on how the place should look and Duncan was happy to take her input and run with it). We took some chances as far as I am concerned in regards to some of the tiles, fixtures and colors but now that I see it all together I can't really remember why I was apprehensive. My place is now somewhere that I am psyched to bring my guy friends to when we want to hang out on weekends or watch a game. My girlfriend is also very happy with the results and loves to show it off to her girlfriends and family. Overall, the services, input, professionalism, and positive attitute we experienced were much more than we expected.

David B., South End

5 Stars: Recommendation for Duncan Hughes Interiors (by applewayfarm)

applewayfarm — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 09:00:00 GMT

My husband Robert and I feel that we have really benefitted from the services of Duncan Hughes. We waited a long time to finally hire an interior designer. The kids are all out of the house now, and instead of moving into a smaller home we decided to renovate and decorate our current home in Harvard Square. It was a very exciting process and although our lives were in a bit of chaos for a short time during the kitchen renovation, it was a very linear, organized process. Duncan Hughes and the contractors were all very professional and detail oriented. The way the cabinets, countertops, flooring, furniture, fabrics and accessories all work together is really amazing. Not "over-decorated", very serene and beautiful. I also feel much more organized since the last piece of furniture was installed. We'd use Duncan Hughes Interiors again in a heartbeat!

5 Stars: THIS TURNED OUT GREAT (by bowling15)

bowling15 — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 09:00:00 GMT

Well, we selected Duncan Hughes Interiors from a list of potential candidates, and I have not regretted it for a second. We really thought we could do it all ourselves, but we realized soon enough that this was not really true - that's when we met with Duncan Hughes. I am embarrased to say really, but we made some bad purchases before we hired Duncan Hughes (both the wrong size for the room, and the wrong material for our growing family). We had to take the loss of getting rid of one of the purchases that we originally made, but they made the rest of the purchases work (even though my wife's chosen end-table ended up doing double-duty in my den instead). The process started with choosing an appropriate color pallete for our house, then moved into bathroom renovation and furniture selection, window treatments and "stuff". The place looks and feels great and we all feel more at home in our new house.
- Albert and Lucinda

5 Stars: A Satisfying Experience (by jillsev23)

jillsev23 — Mon, 06 Nov 2006 09:00:00 GMT

Our project with Duncan Hughes Interiors went very well. I think we may have driven everyone crazy with our multitude of constant questions, and our indecision at times...but Duncan was always patient with us, leading us to make the right decisions for us but never forcing his ideas. We all really loved his ideas and the personal attention he gave. The painters, installers, and carpenters he found for us were all really great - we are so happy with the interior design process, and with our resulting new rooms. Truly a wonderful experience. Duncan Hughes Interiors is highly recommended by us.

-Jill, Martin, Susan and Amy

5 Stars: Interior Design Services (by vivianeast)

vivianeast — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 09:00:00 GMT

My sister and her husband recommended Duncan Hughes Interiors after some work had been completed at their home. The project was not complete yet, but I could see from the plans that Duncan Hughes had put together some really well thought out ideas. Based on that I hired Duncan Hughes for a "re-do" of our living room/dining area. He really helped us push our boundaries of what we would have normally chosen, but left us with a home that is timeless (not trendy), and one that we will not need to redecorate for many years to come. We couldn't be more pleased with the results. Even though my project was started after my sister's, it turned out that they were both finished at almost the same time. We all love our "new" place.
-Vivian, Manuel, and family...

5 Stars: Cooking is even more fun now! (by marilynree)

marilynree — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 09:00:00 GMT

After Duncan Hughes Interiors finished our kitchen renovation last month, I feel like I have been transformed from the 1980's to the future! Our old junky kitchen just did not live up to the work Duncan Hughes had done in the rest of our Newton home. But after the project was completed, I feel like I have a new lease on the culinary world! The workspaces are well-thought-out, the functionality and design and overall appearance of our kitchen is just everything we dreamed of! We all just love the new kitchen. The idea of renovation was worrysome to me, but it turned out any disruption to our lives was well worth it. Thanks Duncan Hughes for a job well done!
- Marilyn and Bob, Newton, MA

5 Stars: Truly professional and focused (by greatvv)

greatvv — Sun, 17 Sep 2006 09:00:00 GMT

I was not sure how I was going to manage it all... A new baby, a new house, and I was going back to work in a month! I knew I needed help getting the place together, so I interviewed numerous interior designers and after much internal debate (and conversations with my husband and sister) decided to hire Duncan Hughes. I am so happy to have made this decision! He came in, and I immediately started to feel better. He and his team really handled my project with great energy and focus. I really enjoyed all my meetings with Duncan, and I felt like he was very involved in all aspects of the project (I was warned that some designers pass you off to their juniors once you hire them - this was not the case).

We needed a few major changes before we could focus on decorating the house (new floors, updating the bathrooms). He handled all of the major changes, then came in with a detailed masterplan on how we could accomplish furnishing the rest of the house, all the while taking a keen interest in what would be most reflective of our "style" (I didn't know I even had a style before meeting Duncan)!

Anyway, besides a bit of a delay on the bathroom countertops and a side table, everything came off without a hitch and looks great! It's been almost a year now since completion and he is very happy to help us with our many questions on small things such as how to clean a spot on our upholstered headboard, or where to put a large ceramic statue that we received last week for our anniversary! Thanks Duncan!

5 Stars: Wow (by garret001)

garret001 — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 09:00:00 GMT

I knew working with an interior designer would be a potentialy intense experience, but I didn't count on enjoying it so much. It did take a little while until I felt that Duncan Hughes and I were on the same page in terms of what kind of style and results I was looking for, but once I was sure he knew what I was looking for I gave him a fairly long leash and am so happy with his creative results. The functionality of my home is even more than what I was looking for. I wanted a house that felt like I lived in it (if that makes any sense), not something overly decorated and "untouchable". The resulting style is sophisticated, worldly, intelligent, comfortable, elegant and inviting. Duncan Hughes has actually made me look forward to coming home after work! Thanks for all the hard work.

5 Stars: Interior Designer with talent (by sforest)

sforest — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 09:00:00 GMT

Duncan Hughes Interiors did some work for us on our family room, bathrooms, living and dining room. We are so pleased with the results - I feel like our home is a true original that feels like it reflects our personality. The friends and family that have visited so far have all been impressed. We've already referred Duncan Hughes to one of our close friends. He chose beautiful and durable fabrics and furnishings (great for our lifestyle). All of his contractors and workmen really seemed to enjoy working with Duncan, and wanted to make him happy - the result of this made us very happy with the final workmanship (especially the very cool custom built-in unit in our family room). Looking forward to using Duncan Hughes again.

5 Stars: Our home feels like home (by robertmap)

robertmap — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 09:00:00 GMT

We purchased a new 3 bedroom condo in the South End and hired Duncan Hughes Interiors to do the interior design and implementation. From the first meeting, we knew we made the right choice. Duncan's positive attitude and interest in our needs really impressed us. Carpenters, painters, upholsterers, electricians and flooring installers were all managed with impressive ease. The final results - including our fantastic wool and silk carpeting in the master bedroom - are a joy to behold. Thanks very much for all your efforts!

5 Stars: First Class Service (by albadaz)

albadaz — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 09:00:00 GMT

Duncan Hughes Interiors was resourceful, creative, and organized. We found him through a work associate of mine who had hired Duncan Hughes for their loft in Manhattan. Ours was a large project in Newton, and at no time did I feel things were out of control. My wife is thrilled with the results. We really both felt that it was a collaborative effort between Duncan Hughes and us - and the result is a place that really feels like home. Much appreciated, and highly recommended.

5 Stars: Duncan Hughes really came through for us! (by sallyram)

sallyram — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 09:00:00 GMT

After a bad situation with a "designer" that really left us in the lurch, Duncan Hughes Interiors came in and straightened our place out. He took over and did everything (and more) that we had expected from the other person we had hired. I just wish we had hired Duncan Hughes first instead of wasting our time and money with someone else.

Sally and Rob, Boston

5 Stars: So much better than I imagined! (by bunnygill)

bunnygill — Wed, 17 May 2006 09:00:00 GMT

My husband resisted hiring a decorator but is now begging Duncan Hughes to review everything, including our summer camp.He turned our big vanilla box of a new house into a warm, comfortable home. I was overwhelmed by our big new house, and he transformed the aesthetic and made it inviting, warm, and functional. He's able to find a beautiful object in what looks like a pile of junk to me. I purchased some antiques two years ago on Duncan's advice. I now realize they were a steal. We learned so much in the process. Duncan was respectful of our budget, while at the same time letting us know our options - always the decision to upgrade was up to us. While he will sometimes use the very best, he will often have an excellent secret source. We totally trust Duncan's judgment and highly recommend him.

5 Stars: Job well done (by robertmacm)

robertmacm — Wed, 17 May 2006 09:00:00 GMT

Hiring Duncan Hughes Interiors was the best decision we made after buying our new house. We only needed some guidance on choosing paint colors, and some other furniture and carpets to go with what we had. Duncan Hughes not only helped us select all of the items we needed, but provided the painters and carpet installers and managed their work. Duncan Hughes really made it all seem easy.

5 Stars: User review by alexminello (by alexminello)

alexminello — Tue, 16 May 2006 09:00:00 GMT

I was a bit skeptical about hiring an interior designer at first, but working with Duncan Hughes made me a believer. We had some unique challenges at our place (old kitchen, awkward size family room, loads of old wallpaper that had to come down). Duncan Hughes really transformed our place - the furniture, the carpets, window treatments, everything all really works together.

We didn't want our home to look too "decorated"; and our whole place now just feels so comfortable, sophisticated and beautiful - just what we wanted. He also was great about recommending furniture and fabrics that would hold up against our young children. I highly recommend Duncan Hughes Interiors.

5 Stars: I never thought I'd hire a designer... (by timlewis)

timlewis — Tue, 16 May 2006 09:00:00 GMT

I speak on behalf of men who think buying a sofa at Pottery Barn is cutting edge interior design. Duncan pushed us, but just far enough --I can still invite friends over to watch a football game. The drapes --sorry window treatments-- are a great addition and that is certainly one I would not have asked for on my own. The furniture looks great, but is still comfortable. And he was very budget conscious. In fact, I found myself asking for more because the value was so evident. My only complaint is that now my wife would rather spend time with Duncan than me. Luckily I enjoy his company as well. Hire Duncan. You'll be glad you did.

5 Stars: All around excellent (by clausar)

clausar — Tue, 16 May 2006 09:00:00 GMT

Superior service, creative ideas, and intelligent project management - all attributes I would associate with Duncan Hughes. His work with us has been a real pleasure; our sunroom and living room are now the main topic of discussion at recent cocktail parties at our place. We couldn't be more pleased.

5 Stars: We're thrilled (by camerota)

camerota — Tue, 16 May 2006 09:00:00 GMT

Duncan changed our lives. My husband and I were wary of spending money on an interior designer but after hearing Ducan's plan to transform our living room, we took a chance. We were so thrilled with the results, we asked Duncan back to do our kitchen and bathroom. He was creative, quick and budget-conscious. When he was done, walking into our apartment felt like walking into my dream home. Then we moved to New York. And we immediately called Duncan to come down and transform our new place.

5 Stars: Process and results were exactly what we wanted (by equestfarm)

equestfarm — Thu, 11 May 2006 09:00:00 GMT

Duncan Hughes Interiors and crew really came through for us. We initially just wanted a re-do of our master bedroom, but when we saw the amazing results we asked him to start on our living room, dining room and study. You can tell Duncan really cares about his work. He has an upbeat attitute and was a joy to work with. We've recommended him to 4 of our friends.

Regina and Robert, Newton, MA

5 Stars: Impeccable results (by krismacone)

krismacone — Thu, 11 May 2006 09:00:00 GMT

We are so happy with the interior design work that was completed by Duncan Hughes Interiors. Every step of the project was handled smoothly and efficiently. Some of Duncan's design choices were not something I would have necessarily thought of myself, but he was right-on every time, and my husband and I absolutely love everything they have done. Our master bath has now become one of our favorite and most comfortable rooms in our home, and our bedroom is so fantastic I want to throw a party there! Very highly recommended.

5 Stars: ONE OF THE BEST (by cynthiamac)

cynthiamac — Tue, 09 May 2006 09:00:00 GMT

I have hired interior designers before, but Duncan is one of the very best I have used. He made us feel comfortable right away. He explained how the process would work, was upfront and honest, asked questions to better understand our goals, and ultimately delivered beyond expectations.

Duncan is informed, organized, and appears to me very well-connected and respected in "interior design" circles. Anytime he took us anywhere to look at items, he was always warmly received which impressed me.

One problem was delivery of a rug that was going to take weeks longer than originally expected. Duncan made some calls - somehow arranging to get the rug delivered only 8 days after originally scheduled (vs. 4 weeks).

I really enjoyed working with Duncan, and although we are happy with the results, are a bit sad that the project is over and we will not be seeing him as much.