The movement to democratize interior design has been building steam for a while, from magazines like Domino that broke the mold of the unattainable and unaffordable in traditional shelter magazines to blogs and books that break down the basic principles of design.

Despite Boston's abundant amount of green space, there are very few local shopping options for urban gardeners. Lindsey Swett, a lifelong green thumb, got tired of making trips to the 'burbs for supplies, so she started Niche for people like herself, no Zipcar necessary.

Disappointed by the options available for covering his iPhone, designer Erick Waldman decided to create his own modern organic version using wood. After fielding orders from friends and family, Erick launched Lazerwood, following up with keyboards, headphones and custom designs.  

Landing strips: we often emphasize how important they are for home (and especially small space) organization. For the few who have been holdouts to our landing strip mantra: prepare to meet your match. Even if you have ZERO space, you can certainly work in a Walhub, a multitasking switchplate that includes hooks and slots for those by-the-door necessities. 

It's been a long time since I completely lost myself in an online store, but when I found Robin Sprong, I lost an hour. Maybe two. The online retailer is stocked with fantastic surface designs, from surreal sketches to whimsical patterns to cutting-edge Lomography panels. 

Assemble Shop & Studio is one of those sites you'll want to bookmark for future gift giving needs. Curated by Andie Powers and Emily Grosse, this online shop stocks adorable handcrafted gifts and housewares, as well as assemble kits, which are pre-packaged craft projects that are perfect for the DIYers in your life.

Interior designer Jessica Spencer recognizes that there are two kinds of home decorators — those who need a little design hand holding and those who have their own definite vision. Alchemy Design Studio is a destination for both. Spencer offers both remote design services as well a full web shop stocked with furniture and accessories.