Michelle Willey’s well-edited boutique sells classically
styled, practical home accoutrements and furnishings
that are contemporary and timeless — a reflection
of Willey’s design sensibilities and aesthetics.
True to her West coast roots, she embraces a pared down
sophistication and when looking for home accessories,
her model is simple, functional pieces of high quality:
worthy of special occasions, but practical enough for
everyday and built to last a lifetime.
Complementing, and sharing space with,
Willey’s home boutique is Vessels Gallery —
a ceramic art gallery owned by Bobbie Tunnard.
Visit
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| about Willey (pronounced
will-E)
A California native, Willey has been passionate and
uncompromising about her surroundings since childhood.
At five, she determinedly “repainted” her
bedroom because she couldn’t bear the freshly
painted yellow walls.
Even as an adult, and with a demanding consulting career
(Willey has a PhD in Biology), Willey’s down time
was spent stripping wallpaper, mixing paints and searching
for the right accessories — all to create the
perfect visual environment. Willey, never limited by
what she could find in the marketplace, would often
modify, recreate and even design her own accessories
— items ranging from the ultimate crinoline roller
shade to a glamorous, medieval style tent to cover a
dog kennel.
Because of this love of design, frustration with finding
the perfect design complements and desire to launch
a business, Willey summoned up her entrepreneurial spirit
and left the corporate world to experiment in product
design, founding Michelle Willey LLC. In late 2005,
Willey made her entrée into retail through her
self-named home boutique in the thriving SOWA (south
of Washington) area of the South End.
other projects: Besides designing
and updating storefronts, Willey enjoys renovating old
homes. Her current renovation project is a 110-year-old
two-family in mid-Cambridge, which is being adapted
for modern living, while maintaining its classic style.
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