Boston, Massachusetts! This town is as historically American as it gets; culturally, economically, musically, athletically, theatrically, politically and architecturally.
Boston is the home of pop music icons like Aerosmith, the Cars, Donna Summer, New Kids On The Block, Marky Mark (Mark Wahlberg), Boston (the 70’s rock band/”More Than a Feeling”) and the acclaimed Boston Symphony Orchestra; plus the birthplace of James Taylor (before moving to Chapel Hill, NC).
Major sports teams include the Red Sox (baseball), the Celtics (basketball, in the state where the sport was invented), and the Bruins (ice hockey). Then there’s the New England Patriots (American football) and the New England Revolution (soccer, or association football) who play at Gillette Stadium in nearby Foxborough, Massachusetts. And, of course, it’s famous for sports icons like 7-time Super Bowl winner/5-time MVP player Patriot quarterback Tom Brady, MLB Red Sox star David Ortiz, NHL Bruins great Bobby Orr, and, of course, the legendary NBA Celtic "trash talker", Larry Byrd Larry Bird… plus countless more.
Boston and its neighboring towns are also the cradle for famous actors like Matt Damon, Casey and Ben Affleck, Uma Thurman, Geena Davis, Chris Evans, the late Betty Davis, the aforementioned Mark Wahlberg and SNL’s Amy Poehler.
Greater Boston is officially marked by 23 distinct neighborhoods. The most often recognized ones would include Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Charlestown, Chinatown, Downtown, East Boston, Fenway-Kenmore, Jamaica Plain, Longwood, North End, West End, West Roxbury, South Boston and South End.
These neighborhoods offer a mix of culture, history, architecture and vibrant communities. Some popular neighborhoods, like Downtown, Beacon Hill, the North End, the Seaport District, and Back Bay, are centrally located and have many attractions, businesses, and restaurants. And, as popularized in movies, books and news media, the South Boston section—and the residents thereof—are locally referred to respectively as “Southie” and “Southies”.
The “Southie” section which is located in the south and eastern areas of downtown Boston, includes several of its own equally distinct neighborhoods; namely Telegraph Hill, Fort Point, City Point, and the Seaport District. Hit movies based on South Boston’s “Southies” include Boondock Saints, The Departed, Black Mass, Mystic River and Good Will Hunting. And some of its more famous and infamous figures (in that order) include the twice-above aforementioned Mark Wahlberg, the anti-crime activist and author, Michael Patrick McDonald, and, leading the “infamous” lineup, there’s the notorious Winter Hill Gang mob leader, Whitey Bulger.
Boston—or more generally--Massachusetts is historically noted for fostering several of the most famous and infamous names in America’s “who’s who” scrapbook and is not without its share of political, criminal and financial scandals. Nevertheless, it has nurtured an especially rich and diverse influence on America’s legacy to date. And that would include fostering four of our most famous U.S. Presidents; John Adams, John Quincy Adams, John F. Kennedy and George H.W. Bush.
Born and raised in the Boston suburb of Brookline, JFK was a Harvard grad and came from an illustrious lineage of Boston political leaders; including his paternal grandfather, P.J. Kennedy—a Massachusetts state legislator—and his maternal grandfather, John F. “Honey Fitz” Fitsgerald—a U.S. Congressman and two-term Mayor of Boston. And, although raised in Connecticut and eventually moving to Texas, George H.W. Bush was also born in the affluent Boston suburb of Milton.
Southeast and across from Boston Harbor and Massachusetts Bay is Cape Cod Bay; both of which are fed directly by the Atlantic Ocean. And Cape Cod Bay—which measures approximately 604 square miles—snugs up along the shoreline that circles the hook-shaped peninsula called Cape Cod.
Picturesque, musically anointed and celebrity-famous, Cape Cod is some 82+ miles—or about 2 hour drive time—southeast of Boston. It is known as a celebrated summertime home for many of the world’s “who’s who”, and is characterized by several quaint villages and well-known towns such as Plymouth, Provincetown and — the southern tip islands of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard.
Villages along Cape Cod are dotted with seafood shacks, historic lighthouses, waterways, sandy beaches and grand oceanside estate homes. Of course, the above-noted Kennedy clan’s summer estate compound sits oceanside in the small residential village of Hyannis Port. And in the nearby larger town of Hyannis, you’ll find the John F. Kennedy Museum. It’s considered the first stop on the Kennedy Legacy Trail through downtown Hyannis. It is from there that ferries travel to-and-fro those resort islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket.
Cape Cod was first immortalized in song as far back as 1957 by the late Patty Page in her Billboard pop chart-topper, “Old Cape Cod”. And, although nearly seventy years old, these lyrics of that song still hold up today in its romanticization of this classic oceanside New England destination, “If you spend an evening you'll want to stay, Watching the moonlight on Cape Cod Bay, You're sure to fall in love with old Cape Cod.” A popular getaway and second home setting for many of the world's “rich and famous”, Cape Cod is as much a part of eastern Massachusetts and greater Boston culture as any.
In many ways, Boston and its bay-side neighboring towns, reflect virtually everything that America “was” and everything it “has become”. There’s the historically based honoring of tradition alongside a fierce independent streak which often defies tradition. And, for anyone touring through the area’s cities, suburbs and neighborhoods, that fact is visibly evident and notably characteristic in both its exterior architecture and interior design themes, along with its eclectic mix of vintage and contemporary styles of furnishings, fixtures and decor.
Emerging cutting edge interior design firms like Boston’s Trevor Fulmer Design have earned the spotlight in this arena by challenging norms and creating design themes that capture the essence of blending bold contemporary comfort with classical and heirloom touches. And we’ll take a deep dive into their “breakout” design approach a little later in this article. For now, it’s evident enough to state that the America of yesterday and today are equally and richly embraced within Boston’s evolution and its people.
Founded on September 7, 1630 by English Puritans who fled their homeland to seek religious freedom from the Church of England, Boston was officially incorporated on September 30 of that same year and is widely accepted to be the official “birthplace of our American Revolution”.
As both the largest city and the capital of Massachusetts, Boston proper is located on a hilly peninsula situated on Massachusetts Bay. According to archaeological historians, it had been inhabited as early as 2400 B.C. by Native Americans who named the area “Shawmut”. The Puritans initially called the community, “Tremontain” — a French word coined to describe the three hills marking the area. But they later changed the name to “Boston” after a town in England which was home to many of the original Puritan settlers.
Famous for its early revolts against England’s tyrannical tax laws — especially its taxes on imported molasses (a key ingredient in rum) and their much-coveted imported teas — the city’s revolt led to the equally famous “Boston Tea Party”, when the rebellious “Sons of Liberty” sneaked aboard English trading ships in the dark of night and proceeded to dump a gargantuan 45 tons of England’s finest teas into Boston Harbor.
From then on, many well-chronicled milestones of the Revolutionary War took place in and around Boston; including the Battle of Lexington, the Battle of Concord, the Battle of Bunker Hill (which resulted in the British evacuation of Boston ending England’s siege of Boston) and, of course, the event that inspired Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s famous poem, “The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere”.
Although its neighboring town of Salem, some 16 miles north, was notorious for the earlier Puritan-initiated “Salem Witch Trials” of 1692, Boston and the majority of Massachusetts towns eventually rose to become known historically as the “Cradle of Liberty”; with Massachusetts becoming the first Union state to abolish slavery in 1783.
Between 1845 and 1852, “The Great Hunger” — also known as “The Irish Potato Famine” — England’s continued tyrannical rule, confiscation of Irish and Scottish farmlands, and purging of their ancient cultures — resulted in forcing over 2 Million Irish peoples to escape British rule, abandon their homeland and flee to America. This, in turn, resulted in many Irish immigrants settling throughout Massachusetts and its capital city of Boston where they became a central part of the state’s population and culture; not to mention carrying forth those many familiar Irish surnames we’ve come to embrace across America’s 50 states. And, along with its strong Irish Catholic influence, Boston eventually became the new home for many Italian, Eastern European, Asian and other nationalities; making Boston and Massachusetts very much a typical melting pot of America’s international heritage.
In 1897 Boston held its first official “Boston Marathon” race; an event marked with tragedy on April 15, 2013 by the horrific “Boston Marathon Bombing”, which resulted in three deaths and hundreds injured. However, the city rebounded and resumed its annual race and, as of the second anniversary of the bombing, April 15th was thereafter officially proclaimed as “One Boston Day”.
Known for its “Brahmin” class of wealthy elites in the mid to late 19th Century, Boston also became a bastion for cultural and educational sophistication, with a plethora of prominent and world-famous art, historical, literary and university institutions. Among those are the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston’s Newberry Street artist district, the Boston Literary District, the Boston Museum of Natural History, the Boston Museum of Science, MIT University and Harvard University (across the river in Cambridge, MA). And, along with these, we’d be remiss not to mention famous historical figures of literature and philosophy such as Nathaniel Hawthorne, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emmerson.
Boston’s visual and performing arts enjoy a wide range of artistic offerings via its famous Boston Theatre District and venues such as the Historic MGM Theatre, Boston Center for the Arts, the Boch Center’s Wang and Shubert Theatres, the Citizen’s Opera House, The Cabot Cinema Performing Arts Theatre and other notable and often historic live stage venues. The performing arts run the gamut from first run Broadway musicals, to major rock concerts, jazz, ballet, opera, standup comedy, folk and classical music, plus a full schedule of national and international entertainment performances.
There’s also the notable Boston Architectural College (BAC) which ranks 4th nationally in the 2024 Niche College Rankings for Architecture; and which is equally renowned for its Master of Interior Architecture (MIA) and a Bachelor of Interior Architecture (BIA) degree programs.
Accordingly, and not surprisingly, the multi-faceted “personality” of Boston’s ever-evolving heritage can be very recognizable by its diverse architectural and interior design themes, with its cultural diversity and its often that characteristic blend of both “old and new” equally expressed.
From Boston’s busy urban hubs with a dramatic mix of historical and modern architecture, to its more contemporary suburban neighborhoods, to the extreme collections of quaint, casual and stately homes that line its coastal bay shores, the challenge for interior designers to make this “paradox of personalities” work together is no easy task. And the skill required to balance these themes — the traditional with the not-so-traditional — takes a special “eye”… sometimes called “the eye in des”eye”n.
What does it take to have that “eye” and stand out as an acclaimed interior design firm in this historic land of legacy and visionary world of diversity? Exceptional design skills -- of course. Plus a strong design team, access to a wide range of the best furnishings, accessories, art and décor, a portfolio of exceptional design projects, ongoing praise from enthusiastic customers, a waiting list of new customers anxious to be next in line… and a lot more.
So, what’s the “more”? A strong desire to create or transform a living environment so as to bring out all that it can be. And that means having a big picture vision of how that creation or transformation will unfold… how it will look, feel and function… and how it can reflect the right balance the customer’s tastes, heritage and lifestyle in harmony with existing surrounds, nearby architecture, complimentary contemporary cultural trends and a measure of boldness to “mix it up a little”.
And, finally, once a design project is completed, the designer's touch or “thumbprint” should be virtually transparent and undetectable. Rather than leaving behind a “designer’s signature look”, the finished product should either look like it’s always been that way…or it should have been.
One noteworthy Boston-based interior design group that has emerged as demonstrating these qualities is a “Southie” located firm named Trevor Fulmer Design (TFD). That design firm’s founder, Trevor Fulmer, calls his design approach “Nontraditionalist”, and he defines it this way, “When I say, ‘Nontraditionalist’, it is our creative approach. We understand design rules and design principles (balance, contrast, proportion, pattern, texture, scale, repetition, rhythm, unity, visual hierarchy), so much that we strategically and purposefully break those rules to create a dynamic interior.”
To expand on that approach, the firm’s website (www.trevorfulmerdesign.com) adds this, “We’re a creative-driven full-service interior design studio that approaches each space with a nontraditionalist and livable modern aesthetic. ‘Livable modern’ refers more to our style. We design interiors that are modern AND comfortable. We're not the design firm that tries to convince our clients that a solid wood chair is going to be a desirable place for them or their guests to sit in for hours.”
In line with the firm’s “nontraditionalist” profile, Fulmer also comes to interior design from a somewhat nontraditional background; yet one that clearly relies on having a strong “eye for design”. Before launching his firm in 2019, he had a very successful career as an award-winning creative director in advertising, commercial photography and marketing. Throughout his career path, he’s been published in New England Home, The Boston Globe, The Globe Magazine, Modern Luxury Interiors, Boston Common Magazine, Boston Home, Photo District News (PDN), EQL and The Knot.
“I worked as a graphic designer and creative director for 13 years”, noted Fulmer. “My clients were large consumer-facing and business-to-business brands like Subway, Dunkin Donuts, Reebok, New Balance, IBM and more. I worked specifically in the experiential industry, creating designs for product launch events, conferences/trade shows and in-store consumer engagements. I attribute these years as the start of my interior career. I was able to understand and appreciate a 3D space - a room and grasp the importance of engaging all of the senses. I use this same sensory-provoking ideology when designing an interior for my clients.”
“Just before I left my advertising career, my team and I were awarded a ‘Cannes Lion’ for a digital gaming experience. (In the advertising industry, this is the Oscar). I am incredibly proud of this work. The award is proof that skillful art direction, creative storytelling and detailed illustrations can move mountains,” said Fulmer.
“Regarding photography, I worked as an art director on Dunkin Donuts’ food and live action photoshoots. I also photographed for Subway. When I began my interior career, I even photographed some of my own projects,” he added.
That seemingly atypical and diverse creative marketing background has apparently worked well for Fulmer and has allowed his firm to develop a unique approach to interior design. After all, along with strong inherent visual skills, successful marketing requires having a real understanding of what customers want and what fulfills their desires.
As his website supports, “Through a collaborative partnership, our team creates a custom experience that reflects our client’s and their needs. We believe a client’s home is the backdrop to their life’s story; filled with their most important possessions, heirlooms and newly discovered treasures. That’s why we love mixing patterns, textures and materials—from vintage and repurposed to contemporary and new. Ultimately, we feel their home should be a comforting place to reflect on the past, present and future. So, our process is founded on building trust, growing relationships, and exceeding expectations,” Fulmer explains.
TFD’s design approach involves a 4-step process. Step 1 is Discovery & Consultation. This introductory phase is about listening and collaborating with their clients. Step 2 is Design & Creative Exploration. Step 3 is Procurement & Management. And Step 4 is Installation and Reveal Experience. The full “Fulmer Story” on the firm’s design approach is spelled-out in their website. And it must be working as they note that many of their clients have since become friends. Plus, their client list reaches all across Boston proper, up and down the Cape Cod peninsula and across New England.
Balancing out the TFD team is Project Manager, Sophia Wensberg and Finance Manager, Aileen Ramos. Their combined expertise and talents complement each other in a way that brings a refreshing and distinctive vibrancy to each design project; while also providing their customers with sound project cost management.
Wensberg is a New England native, is passionate about creating beautiful spaces, and brings her extensive knowledge of kitchen and bathroom design plus unique problem-solving skills to the job. As she is quoted, “Our job is to find the unexpected, to test the boundaries of a room and allow you to see your space in an entirely new light. Design is fluid and organic and allows exploration without limits. This keeps our job exciting and fresh.”
Finance manager, Ramos, has a background in account management and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design degree. With over 20 years of accounting experience, she oversees monthly financial reporting, invoicing, and daily financial transactions; as well as assisting with office operations, document and process workflows, and client communications. Her perspective is explained this way, “I believe that a good finance manager is the backbone of every successful interior design business. My mission is to enable the design team to focus on their creative vision and valued client relationships, while I handle financial and administrative aspects.”
“About 95 percent of our work is residential,” notes Fulmer. “But we have also worked with a couple commercial healthcare facilities. And we design outdoor spaces like roof decks and patios as well.” Given all that, the range of TFD’s customers and projects is as varied as is the character of greater Boston, Cape Cod, the state of Massachusetts and its New England neighbors.
From urban to suburban, from indoor to outdoor, from home offices to commercial offices, from city suites to coastal cottages. From modern elegance to traditional holiday cheer to avant-garde leisure, TFD is busy breathing new life, colors, textures and functional enjoyment into living and working spaces.
As with most interior designers, a big part of their job is to source, collaborate with and supervise various trade partners such as: furnishings/accessories and art sellers, fabric suppliers, flooring and carpeting products, cabinet makers, carpenters, tile/marble/wood countertop installers, appliance dealers, lighting/electrical and plumbing contractors, bath and shower fixture brands, and pretty much everything it takes to round out a total design package.
It’s a wide-ranging and comprehensive responsibility that demands every ounce of expertise and experience that the TFD team can pull together to fulfill their customer’s dreams.
Developing a reliable two-way working relationship with those various sources takes time, tact and trust. Everyone has to work in tandem to assure that the project timeline is met, that trade partners are managed with clarity and finesse, and that all entities respect each other’s role in the project. And that’s the function of the aforementioned Step 3 and Step 4 in TFD’s 4-Step design approach. Step 3 is Procurement & Management and Step 4 is Installation and Reveal Experience.
For interiors, the list of suitable trade suppliers for any one project can be huge; especially if it’s an extensive residential “makeover” that includes most major rooms. Furniture, fixtures, art and accessories all have to work together within the design theme. And then there’s the need for pairing the right wall faces and flooring options with everything else. For this, TFD has created special collections within their overall product offering services called “Natural Principles” and “Foundations”. But those ventures came about almost as a result of serendipity.
Having begun his interior design firm shortly before Covid, it was just getting revved-up when the pandemic struck. That meant taking advantage of the situation and turning it into an opportunity to re-imagine the full possibilities of his business model. And that provided the impetus for Natural Principles and Foundations. “When covid hit in early 2020 and the majority of my projects were put on hold, I thought my timing was terrible. Turns out it was perfect, the home industry exploded and projects kept rolling in. During the lockdown I asked myself, ‘What can I do to stay creatively sharp?’ Because of my graphic design background, I knew I could create shapes, patterns, repeats, and digital textures. But, what was I going to do with these designs and how could they relate to my new career in interiors?”
“Then a light bulb came on,” he continued. “I began to research wallpaper and rug manufacturers. So, I took my patterns and applied them to these mediums. After months of design and research, I established Natural Principles in 2021, my first wallpaper and floor covering collection, inspired by untouched and peaceful shapes found in nature.”
“And on June 6, 2024, I launched Foundations, with rug purveyor Landry and Arcari. Foundations is inspired by vibrant memories, unforgettable experiences and captivating places. Each rug design represents an impactful, notable and formidable moment in my life. This rug collection blends an artistic palette of hand-drawn shapes with meticulously crafted refined wools and luxurious silks. In my opinion, when I combine my two creative skill sets - graphic design and interior design - I think that overlap is product design. And I’m excited at future possibilities to partner with furniture and lighting brands, paint and tile companies and so many others,” he adds.
Moving outdoors for exteriors — such as patios, decks, poolside or ocean cabana settings — one unique challenge is exposure to sun, weather, water and the many raw forces of nature. The requirements there include more than just the look and feel. There’s the absolute necessity to assure quality materials, construction, durability and longevity. And, when it comes to pairing the right furniture with all other decor — especially in coastal settings — TFD found that a perfect choice of materials was teak… and an ideal choice for teak was to be Westminster Teak.
“I first heard about Westminster Teak from a neighbor in 2015. They had a set of lounger Barbuda Teak Captain Steamers. They were beautiful, sturdy and super comfortable. So, I used Westminster Teak’s Bloom Collection on our Ptown Pied-à-terre - Cape Cod project. Plus, many of our clients and projects are in New England, so teak is a great choice. Teak naturally grays over time and looks beautiful with the gray cedar shake homes throughout New England,” Fulmer says.
Along with outdoor applications, Fulmer also likes to use certain teak pieces in coordination with other interior furnishings. “Our interiors are often very contemporary. But incorporating materials, like teak, can help a space feel more traditional and refined. I also want to use materials that are sustainable and long lasting. WT offers products that do.”
Carrying that message a step further, Fulmer adds, “Westminster Teak is the pinnacle of high-end outdoor teak furniture. Their quality is superb, their custom service is quick to respond and their styles span the spectrum - from modern to traditional, there is something for everyone. As a trade member, I appreciate their detailed level of service. They are an excellent partner for my team and I.”
One of TFD’s more “close to home” projects that illustrates the unique challenge of designing and furnishing for seaside living is Fulmer’s own condo on the northernmost tip of Cape Cod in Provincetown. “In the Covid summer of 2020, like many others, we wanted to find a place out of the city. We had been searching for a place in P-Town for years and Covid became the motivator. We wanted a two bedroom gut-job, but as the saying goes, location, location, location.”
“My husband, Jim, found a listing for a one bedroom waterfront condo that required surface Renovations” he continued. “It was not the project we wanted, nor the square footage, but this was an opportunity we could not pass up. Even though the condo is just under 400 sq. ft., the expansive deck helps it feel twice the size.”
“The color palette and finishes were inspired by the sky, sand, and surf. Blues, tans, taupes, whites, brasses with hits of yellow established the palette” describes Fulmer. “Designing on the water requires a different mindset. All materials were selected to work well in humid and salty environments. Natural fibers like seagrasses, jutes, and wickers, teak, all perform well. Linens, blends, and performance fabrics dry quickly and add a casualness. Brass metals, inspired by nautical instruments, would patina over time.”
“For furniture, we selected pieces that felt open, airy and light - acrylic ottomans that disappear against the backdrop of the ocean, small drink tables that take up minimal footprints, and teak and white metal outdoor furniture, on thin legs, that were inspired by yachting.”
“And, as for art, we wanted to source local artwork that felt appropriate to our location, but inappropriate to our moms. Ha! Case and point, I designed a custom Tom of Finland - inspired rug for the bedroom” he concludes.
Summing up the TFD design strategy, Fulmer puts it this way, “I’m a problem solver. Each project we work on poses new challenges and I love coming up with creative solutions to address issues. From spaces that need to have multi-functional design solutions to telling a client’s personal story by incorporating vintage art and furniture.”
“For example, we just completed a project for a lovely client, who had an incredible early 20th century Chinese hand carved chair that became the starting point for a project. Having worked in Asia for the peace-corp for 30+ years, they also had a collection of gold leafed Chinese screens. The art in this home made the project,” Fulmer continued.
“I love connecting with people, so forming personal relationships with my clients is key. Clients are always friends by the end of the project. I often say that a home is never done. It’s always evolving and changing. The home is like a living breathing creature, like us. It changes. You’re going to add a newly found side table. You’re going to bring home that book from your travels. You’re going to layer that vintage rug under the dining table. Bottom line? Enjoy the process!”
An ”eye” for design, the vision to bend—if not break—tradition, a natural instinct for even the smallest detail, and the skill to re-create a room into a “showroom” (you know, like those showroom photos you see in magazine spreads, but can never quite achieve?) TFD manages to source and pull all those distinctive design elements together in a harmonious blend that transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary. Yet, at the same time, giving their customers a truly comfortable, “lastingly livable” experience. You can check out the full story and enjoy a rich collection of TFD project photos at trevorfulmerdesign.com.
White Glove Services include unpackaging, assembly and placement of furniture as well as removal and disposal of all packaging material. It does not include any custom work that may need to be done to assure a fit to the desired location.
In stock cushions and umbrella fabrics will be included with White Glove Services. Made to order cushions and umbrella fabrics are shipped separately via UPS and are not applicable to White Glove Services.
Shipping within 1-2 business days applies only for Standard Delivery within the Continental USA. Does not include Made To Order Cushions or furniture purchased with a finish. It also does not include any other special Deliveries including White Glove. Shipments are on business days only. No Shipments on USA holidays or weekends.
RENEE’S in Mattituck is the premier fashion and furnishings retailer on the East End of Long Island. As a third-generation family business offering men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing, and home furnishings and accessories, RENEE’S is in touch with new looks and changing trends. Impeccable customer service elevates your North Fork shopping experience.
National Marine Suppliers is a worldwide yacht support group providing their customers with exceptional service and industry-leading reliability.
International Market Square is the largest home and commercial interior design marketplace in the Upper Midwest. Open to both the home/commercial design community and the public, visitors are invited to explore our more than sixty showrooms, studios, shops, galleries, restaurants and other distinct amenities.