Trends Amongst the 2014 Custom Home Design Awards Winners

1 MIN READ

By Bruce D. Snider, Shelley D. Hutchins, Cheryl Weber, Jennifer Goodman, and Amy Albert

From a competitive pool of entries, clear trends stood out among this year’s Grand Award winners, which are featured on the following pages. • As we build at higher density, designer/builders are finding clever ways to deliver comfort that’s cozy but not cramped—what one juror termed “a richness at being nearby.” • Picking winners amid rehabs and renovations was particularly tough thanks to a consistent level of impressive problem-solving. • As footprints are shrinking, we’re building up, designing higher ceilings and making full use of the rooftop as living space, especially in urban areas. • Energy-efficient is simply the way we build now—it’s assumed, with sustainable being, as one juror put it, a “normal part of the home’s CV.” • The high quality of modular entries made the panel’s job a difficult one, too; many of the entries, the jurors said, were “spectacular and didn’t look prefab at all.” • Again this year, outdoor spaces remain a top priority, whether in warm climates or cold, from opened-up fourth walls to courtyards.

The jury: Tony Crasi, president, The Crasi Co., Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio; Stephen Lawlor, principal, Lawlor Architects, Washington, D.C.; Heather McKinney, principal, McKinney York Architects, Austin, Texas; Mike Pyatok, principal, Pyatok Architects, Oakland, Calif.; Sean Ruppert, principal, OPaL, Cabin John, Md.

About the Author

Amy Albert

Amy Albert is editor of Custom Home and a senior editor at Builder. She covers all aspects of design. Previously, she was kitchen design editor at Bon Appetit; before that, she was senior editor at Fine Cooking, where she shot, edited, and wrote stories on kitchen design. Amy studied art history with an emphasis on architecture and urban design at the University of Pennsylvania. She lives in Los Angeles. Write her at aalbert@hanleywood.com, follow her on Twitter @CustomHomeMag and @amyatbuilder, or join her on Custom Home's Facebook page. 

Upcoming Events

  • Zonda’s Building Products Forecast Webinar

    Webinar

    Register Now
  • Future Place

    Irving, TX

    Register Now
  • Q3 Master Plan Community Update

    Webinar

    Register Now
All Events