Apparently they were on Newbury Street for 20 years prior to moving to their current location in…read moreBrookline, where they've been since for another 20 or so (the commitment, as you can probably tell, is impressive to me). Autrefois definitely did not share the crowded, dusty feel most antique shops I've been to -- I can't profess expertise in the area, but the store seemed pared down without being austere. The pieces were all wonderful, and I know that at least some were artfully restored, so well, in fact, that I even asked the owner about the great condition of most of the things, and she was happy to show me exactly where certain pieces were restored (she seemed to indicate that they are sent off for professional restoration). It's worth noting that I didn't see a piece that was obviously restored, and everything had a great patina. As I told her, if I had the money, I would be a frequent patron!

If you are looking for an antiques shop where the owner really knows their business, this is the…read moreone for you, even if you have to drive out to Brookline from Boston (not that far really.) Prices are very reasonable--they are not out to get you but to share their love of antiques with you--and the store encompasses a wide definition of what an antique really is. Sometimes an "antique" can be a lamp or table that is actually very modern in concept and history, but is not appreciated by many homeowners. The owner also has a very good sense of design, and if you tell her where the piece is going to go, she can advise you on whether it is the right choice. Highly recommended!

European Country Antiques is my favorite place to shop for beautiful, charming, and fun pieces…read morewhich add that special, warm touch to a home. Ed, the owner, not only has great taste, but also has a wonderful eye/feel for what his clients are looking for. He is smart, open and honest with his advice. The prices are not cheap but they are fair given that all the old pieces, often one-of-a-kind, come from Europe, mostly the U.K. and France. We love everything that we purchased at the store. Thanks Ed !

I am so excited to see that European Country Antiques is still going strong in spite of pandemics,…read moreetc! I furnished a house with their amazing products about 15 years ago. Just sold the place over Labor Day, and the furnishings helped me close the deal. They're the perfect combination of not-too-fancy but add-warmth that I like. In addition to the furniture, the service is great. They referred me to a moving service that moved big, heavy furniture in driving rain with good humor and success. I'll be coming back soon!

My husband and I bought a beautiful furniture many years ago maybe eight years ago I still have the…read morecouch and the two chairs they're beautiful and they are very comfortable, but their products are very high-end and expensive

This store has some really nice, top end furniture but nice furniture doesn't equate to nice staff…read more When you're expecting people to drop a lot of money in your store maybe show some respect. I will try to find the same furniture elsewhere or find different furniture.

More like 3.5 stars, but I really wanted to like this place, so I'll be generous in my rating. The…read moreplace seemed more like a cluttered interior design office than a retail location. The merchandise was unique to a lot of other places, but seemed a bit repetitive: little gorgeous purple finger bowls and lots of animal-skin throws and rugs; plus all the nice but spendy furniture, and a listening station for CDs that reminded me of those Puttomayo CD stands you could find at the old Nature Company stores.

After all I had read about Diseno, I was hoping for big things. Big things. Sadly, I was…read moredisappointed. I was looking forward to all kinds of goodies from South America, but the boutique fell a little short. Most of the store is filled with leather chairs and animal throws. Which is fine, if you're desperate to fill your home with either of those things. But I couldn't imagine buying cowskin (or whatever it was) to throw on my walls... The vases and other decor was pretty cool, but there just wasn't enough of that stuff for my liking. I'd had loved to see more rugs, but just not of the animal print kind. And I did like the shawls and some of the handbags, but my favorite was the music. Really cool tunes were playing and they have a great setup/listening station for those wishing to check out the other artists/cd's they have. Lastly, the location. Obviously they can't help it, but they're right across from the Pine Street Inn, which may hurt their customer flow. I'll definitely pop in there again, I'm always in that part of the South End, and I hope they vary their selection around a bit.

At the end of the walkway between two long buildings is a tiny little showroom that instantly…read moretransports you to the world of fine European design. If you live in Boston / Cambridge and have a small deck or terrace, you could get something here that is reminiscent of a fine hotel in Barcelona, London, or Milan. Beware - this is not a general outdoor furniture store carrying products like what you'd take home from a Home Dept - but a showroom that has examples of fine modern design. It's not for everyone but again, if you can afford it, this is a nice place to do some damage to the credit cards!

saw this bed in a Milan design studio a couple of years ago. i remember it as leather, sexy and…read morespendy. the type you mentally file in "someday". fast-forward 2011 and found it again at store's catalogue, now received 3mos after order. when you're ready to graduate from boxspring or ikea to a classic-keeper, look here (just don't pick mine). http://www.zanotta.it/en/products/Beds/1880_81_Caracalla.htm

This store is fantastic! You might feel a bit weird going down the street, but once you get inside…read moreyou'll be blown away. It's a hidden gem. Go check it out, seriously.

Modern furniture and home decor store with a small curated collection of coffee table books, as…read morewell as a small cafe with sandwiches, pastries, coffee and freres dammann teas.

Dan Falvey refinished an antique mahogany bureau & dresser that my grandmother gave me 40+ years…read moreago. She had them for at least 30+ years before that. Both pieces had taken a beating over the years with five children in our busy household. The furniture was picked up and returned like new a week or two later. They look amazing! The delivery men put the furniture directly into the room I wanted. I'm beyond pleased. These two pieces will last a few generations more. I'd recommend this company to anyone looking for quality work. Thank you, Mr. Falvey.

Mr. Favley senior and junior have provided my clients the best quality finishing services available…read moreanywhere. If you have exterior wood doors, this is the compnay to contact. Their craftmanship and chemical knowledge about exterior wood surfaces is second to none.

I have a beloved olde family heirloom lamp (the kind that your relatives try to weasel out of you…read morebefore you're mature enough to realize how lovely it is). Two weeks ago, to my utter despair, the little bugger shocked me; intervention was required. Enter Appleton Antique Lighting. It's a bit small, and Route 9 is a bit crazy, so keep your eyes peeled. The gent going through bills off to the side was a bit brusque, but the lady at the register was very sweet. They quoted an *extremely* reasonable price for the fix. They said it might take two weeks, but they got it done in one. And my lamp is back to its healthy, non-shocking ways. Go there. And bring your poor, your tired, your huddled lamps, yearning to be fixed.

I can't say that I know a whole lot about lamps. My bedside lamp had been bugging me for the last…read moreten years or so - I kept having to wiggle the switch to get it to work, and sometimes the light would go out while I was reading, it would go out and I'd have to get up and wiggle the switch again - one of those really annoying little things. Finally it dawned on me that there's people out there who fix these things - I took it to Appleton, and the rest is history. They are incredibly nice there, and while they said it would take a few days to fix, it turned out they were able to sneak it in between larger projects and the lamp got repaired by the next day. Not bad! Basically, I would say that they were very knowledgeable, extremely welcoming and affable people with excellent customer service, and as far as I can tell, they charged a reasonable price. I wouldn't hesitate to use them again as they certainly have earned a repeat customer (just hoping that I won't have any more broken lamps, haha).