studio

Stern McCafferty

Creating tailor-made homes for discerning clients.

“For architect David Stern and his partner, interior designer Diane McCafferty, fitting a client’s needs is the essence of their work.”

Boston Home Magazine

Stern McCafferty’s work reveals common themes – from the direct and expressive use of natural materials, to the commitment to inventive detailing and the skillful engagement of the site.

Their work expresses fundamental objectives: to create simple, durable and beautiful homes and to reflect the needs and aspirations of their clients.

Discovery and invention are at the core.

“Stern McCafferty’s process…opens the project to the inevitability of becoming whatever it wants to be. We rarely start a project knowing what it’s going to look like…we start with the spaces, the circulation, the pathways through the building… we look hard at what we can learn from the site.“

NE Home Magazine

Uniting Interior Design and Architecture.

Stern McCafferty is a collaborative studio with a team of talented designers working closely with partners David Stern and Diane McCafferty.

David Stern

David Stern is a practicing architect with over 30 years of experience. He has designed private residences, libraries, museums, academic buildings, corporate interiors, retail spaces, and office buildings. He combines a unique design sensibility with a singular ability to engage in the art of building. David holds a Master in Architecture from Harvard University, and completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Pittsburgh and the Institute for Architecture and Urban Studies in New York City.

Diane McCafferty

Diane McCafferty is an interior designer whose work bridges the gap between the traditional disciplines of architecture and interior design. She brings a unique sensitivity to her projects, carefully integrating materials and details to achieve, simple, elegant, and evocative interiors. She has designed private residences, corporate and institutional interiors, executive offices, and retail environments. Diane holds a Master of Arts in Interior Design from Pratt Institute in New York City; she completed her undergraduate studies in art history at Boston College and industrial design at the Domus Academy in Milan.

selected publications

“The designers’ partnership is key to their success…

McCafferty describes their process by weaving her arms loosely upward, pantomiming a DNA strand.  We just know when the other comes in and the other backs out — we’re always working together in a parallel way…”

Boston Home Magazine

selected honors and awards

  • American Institute of Architects Rhode Island Residential Architecture Award
    Newport Modern, 2024
  • Boston Preservation Alliance Award
    French Library, 2024
  • Gibson House Museum Preservation Award
    French Library, 2023
  • Boston Society of Architects Small Firms Design Award
    Red Coach Lane Residence, 2019
  • Prism Award
    Red Coach Lane Residence, 2019
  • Prism Award
    Parkway Terrace Residence, 2019
  • International Interior Design Association Award
    Chestnut Street Residence, 2018
  • International Furnishings and Design Association Award
    Mount Vernon St. Residence, 2018
  • Best Contemporary Architect
    Boston Magazine, Best of Boston Home, 2018
  • Prism Award
    Builders and Remodelers Association, Weston Residence, 2018
  • Boston Society of Architects Small Firms/ Small Projects Awards
    Rutland Street Residence
  • Boston Society of Architects Small Firms/ Small Projects Awards
    Pond Street Residence
  • Glass Association of North America Award
    Beacon Hill Townhouse
  • Harbor Park Pavilion Design Competition
    Finalist
  • Boston Society of Architects Interior Architecture Award
    Jilani Loft
  • Boston Magazine Home & Garden Modern Kitchen Award
    Beacon Hill Townhouse
  • Boston Society of Architects Young Architects Award
  • Boston Society of Architects Small Firms/Small Projects Awards
    Follen Street Residence
  • International Interior Design Association Award
    Follen Street Residence
  • HGTV World’s Greenest Homes
    Rutland Street Residence
  • Boston Society of Architects Small Firms/Small Projects Awards
    Claremont Street Residence
  • Boston Society of Architects Interiors Award
    Brown Residence

Sustainability is a fundamental force in our work.

We take a pragmatic approach to green design, applying resources where they have the greatest impact, and creating buildings that are enduring and healthful. Sustainability is a set of values and responses that are seamlessly integrated through the art of building.

contact. get in touch with us


Boston, MA 02118
617.338.1125

Find Us On Instagram