Wish List: Ken Dietz

Like so many people who love what they do, Ken Dietz took a roundabout route to finding his passion. Despite a college scholarship to study fine arts, he decided to major in health administration. While on an internship at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Dietz took a part-time job in a local gallery—a wise move, since he decided the health field wasn’t right for him after all. His gallery job often included working with designers who were scouting art for their clients’ homes.

Before long, Dietz was taking on clients himself. Two decades later, his work still often focuses on designing around a collection, whether of art, craft, a furniture style or a particular accessory. “My work runs the gamut—modern, traditional, deco,” he says. “It revolves around the client, what they collect and what they like, but I hope I give them more than they would have imagined.” Dietz is a bit of a collector himself. “I’m a sucker for lamps,” he admits. “My most recent is a Lucite-and-chrome chandelier I found in a second-hand shop in Newport.” DIETZ & ASSOCIATES, JAMAICA PLAIN, MASSACHUSETTS, (617) 983-2549, WWW.DIETZANDASSOCIATES.COM

Carrie Gustafson’s Diamond Bowl “Gustafson’s joyful aesthetic is a quest for lightness and luminosity in her colorful, bold, modernist glass, inspired by the natural world.” D SCALE, BOSTON, (617) 426-1055, WWW.DSCALEMODERN.COM

Flexform Ground Piece Sectional “This sectional can be arranged in many configurations; it’s deep and low slung but still comfortable for the over-40 crowd! It comes in many fabrics and has a leather-covered low bookcase option for books and accessories.” SHOWROOM BOSTON, (617) 482-4805, WWW.SHOWROOMBOSTON.COM

Flexform Jacques Dining Table “This piece from Flexform’s Mood collection is a truly transitional table with a graceful, yet handsome, use of materials.” SHOWROOM BOSTON, (617) 482-4805, WWW.SHOWROOMBOSTON.COM

Teak Splay by Ironies “A large slab of natural teak makes a beautiful art piece for the wall or, mounted on a metal base, a room divider.” STUDIO 534, BOSTON DESIGN CENTER, (617) 345-9900, WWW.S5BOSTON.COM

Peron from Romo’s Delano Collection “I love this new fabric line from Romo that offers solids and textured plains with a subtle glazed finish and a two-tone, small-scale weave.” CALVIN FABRICS, BOSTON DESIGN CENTER, (617) 737-0691, WWW.CALVINFABRICS.COM

Anta Lighting’s Afra 03 Lamp “The sleek, sophisticated design of this lamp—a favorite of mine that comes in white, too—translates well into many room styles.” CASA DESIGN BOSTON, (617) 654-2974, WWW.CASADESIGNBOSTON.COM