Matthew Cunningham Wins 5 Under 40 Award from NEH!!!

Last night marked an incredible landmark for my career, and I have been dying to share this news with people for weeks…  I have been named a winner of New England Home magazine’s 4th Annual 5 Under 40 Awards!!! 

Since 2010 the 5 Under 40 awards program has been recognizing the hottest emerging talent in residential design in New England, in the areas of architecture, interiors, furniture, home accessories and, new this year, landscape design!  I am so grateful to be part of an impressive group of winners: 

The amazing committee of judges, representing diverse professional facets of the New England design community, included David Stern and Diane McCafferty of Stern McCafferty Architecture and Interiors; Susan Orpin of The Orpin Group; Adam Simha of MKS Design; Keith LeBlanc of Keith LeBlanc Landscape Architecture; and Kyle Hoepner, the editor-in-chief of New England Home magazine.

As part of the award, each of us was invited to design a custom rug that will be handwoven in the Nepal-based workshops of presenting sponsor Landry & Arcari Oriental Rugs and Carpeting, creating a direct connection between the designer and weaver.  The completed rugs will be auctioned off at the September 12 celebration honoring the winners, with proceeds to benefit the Cambridge-based charity, Barakat.  Barakat works in South and Central Asia to strengthen the fundamental human right to education—particularly for women and children by providing exemplary basic education, increasing access to higher education, and advancing literacy.  Look for a blog post in the near future that highlights the design process I embarked on the design my custom rug…

Thank you everyone for your continued support—it means so much to me!  I feel so humbled and fortunate to have found something so early in my life that nourishes and feeds my soul!  And last but not least, I want to thank my family, friends, clients, collaborators, and of course, my fantastic team, for all of your undying support—you are each an invaluable and irreplaceable part of my life.