Topnotch Design Studio

Nine Houzz Awards and 58 documented projects sit behind Topnotch Design Studio's profile — a kitchen-and-bath design studio in Hanover that pairs homeowners with partner general contractors, architects, and interior designers rather than building the job itself. Patty Winberg founded the studio in 2006 on what the website describes as a philosophy of close client relationships, and its designers reportedly average over 20 years in the industry. The reviews describe substantial, multi-room work rather than one-off installs. One recent review details a full-house renovation led by Sara Babson's team — a new kitchen, three bathrooms, a mudroom, pantry, and a laundry room relocated from the first floor to the second — crediting Sara for reading the homeowners' vision correctly from the start and for installations handled "with the utmost care and skill." Other reviewers single out Christina for being responsive and easy to work with across the whole process, on jobs ranging from a standard kitchen redesign to an outdoor kitchen build. Houzz corroborates the pattern at scale: a 5.0 average across 29 reviews and 58 documented projects, with three Houzz Badges layered on top of the nine Awards. One thing worth raising before signing on: the state's contractor registry shows Topnotch's Massachusetts home improvement contractor license, held by Topnotch Design Studio LLC, as currently expired. Because the studio positions itself as the design layer that hands construction off to separate general contractors, it's worth asking directly who on the project carries the license to pull permits and do the physical build. Topnotch reads as the right call for a homeowner planning a big, multi-room renovation who wants one design team steering the whole layout — just get the licensing arrangement for the actual construction spelled out before signing a contract.