2012 Chrysalis Awards

The Chrysalis Awards program, begun in 1994, recognizes the nation’s best remodeling and design work in 16 general categories of residential and commercial remodeling. The Chrysalis Awards are open to all professional remodelers and design professionals in the United States.

This year, 82 remodeling and design companies were honored as winners of the Chrysalis Awards for Remodeling Excellence. The winning projects were selected from more than 400 entries judged on overall design, the creative use of space and materials, and the degree to which the project enhanced the original structure.

One of the developments in recent years has been the number of first-time winners: in 2011 there were 30 first-timers and this year there were 38. It seems that there are a lot of both new and established companies that are now deciding to enter competitions as a way to showcase their talent. It’s also a reflection of the vitality of the industry.

This year’s competition was judged by Louis Joyner, former editor for Southern Living Magazine; Dan Gregory, editor of Houseplans.com; and Sam Liberti of the American Institute of Building Design.

Pictures of the 2012 award-winning projects, and all winning projects since 1998, can be seen on the Chrysalis website at www.chrysalisawards.com [1].

Knowing that we could not include photos of all the projects in this coverage, we asked the judges to identify the winning projects that they felt were the most interesting, and here are a few of them.

Kitchen Remodel $75,000-$100,000

National Winner: Jackson Design & Remodeling, San Diego, Calif.

When a young professional couple moved into a new home, they found their existing kitchen dated, bland, and unsuitable for their social lifestyle. As active members of their church community, the couple often invited large groups into their home. They wanted a welcoming kitchen with a rustic modern spirit that would comfortably accommodate many guests. Combining the dining and kitchen areas created an impressively expansive space. The generous use of warm wood and touches of repurposed materials lends rustic appeal in a thoroughly modern setting established by an open profile and clean lines.

Bath Remodel Under $40,000

National Winner: Beautiful Remodel LLC, Gilbert, Ariz.

The clients requested a “wow” contemporary bathroom but one that felt inviting and warm. They wanted a larger, walk-in shower with dual heads as well as improved storage, lighting, and functionality at the vanity areas. They rarely use a tub, so they didn’t want something large, but also didn’t want too large a shower that would feel disproportionate in the room. The goal was to create a stunning focal-point wall and a welcoming, comfortable “mood” for the room, which was done with the use of the S-shaped curved mosaic wall, interesting finishes & textures, and creative lighting.

Residential Interior Under $100,000

National Winner: Ispiri Design Build Remodel, Woodbury, Minn.

The client had many concerns, which included an uninviting kitchen and adjoining space, as well as the need for a contemporary feel. Improving traffic flow by adjusting the work triangle reduced the sunk-in family room footprint by adding floor framing and increasing the dinette floor area and accommodating the addition of an office/computer area. Natural balance sought between the new kitchen and adjoining family room was accomplished through shared materials and details.

Detached Outbuilding

National Winner: Michael K. Walker & Associates, Sarasota, Fla.

This great structure was constructed as one of several detached guest outbuildings on this coastal island estate. The multi-use building has multiple personalities as studio apartment/guest house with hideaway bedding and compact storage while functioning as a sitting/changing room for the beach/pool and spa areas during the day. Due to the extreme exposure to the harsh coastal environment, the use of solid copper wall cladding, stone veneer and teak wood provide for minimal maintenance while allowing the building to age gracefully.

Residential Interior Over $100,000

National Winner: The Wills Company, Nashville, Tenn.

The homeowners had a clear goal of making their outdated, 1950s house work for their young family. They wanted gracious spaces for living and entertaining and were willing to sacrifice bedroom space in order to achieve it within their financial means. The redesign opens up the space, creating easy circulation throughout. The vaulted family and dining room ceilings give a punch to the otherwise low-slung ranch style house. Simple, clean lines and the use of a warm gray palette throughout make the house feel larger and certainly more contemporary…and all within their budget.

Whole House Remodel $250,000-$500,000

National Winner: Sullivan Building & Design, Quakertown, Pa.

This cottage had an old tired 1970s feeling that needed to be updated to take advantage of its charming location. A haphazard collection of rooms and spaces needed to be redefined and organized to flow from one space to the next. Here is a totally redone riverfront home that, while only a modest amount of structural renovations and additions took place, the overall environment that was created is clearly testament to the fact that it is all in the details.

Tips for winning projects

After 19 years of administering the Chrysalis Awards, Ken Kanline has seen a very broad sample of what’s going on in the industry. Here are a few words of advice for companies thinking about entering design competitions.

Put it where it belongs.

Many projects can qualify for entry in several different categories. For instance, if you have a whole house remodel in which 70 percent or more of the budget is in a single area, such as the kitchen or an addition, you may be better off entering the kitchen or addition. In these cases if the key area isn’t an award winner, the whole house entry probably won’t be either. As “Deep Throat” told Woodward & Bernstein…”follow the money”.

There’s gold in them thar niche categories.

You can count on competing with very large numbers of entries in some categories like Kitchen, Bath, Addition and Whole House, but not as much in Universal Design, Green Remodeling, or even Commercial Remodeling. So recognize those opportunities when they present themselves.

Money isn’t everything.

Why are there always more entries in the highest price categories?  Believe it or not, judges realize that the challenges can be greater when dealing with smaller budgets, and this is where value is most taken into account (consciously or subconsciously). It is also true that judges are not impressed with expensive projects that depend heavily on high-priced materials and appliances more than design. If you’ve done a great kitchen on a small budget it is just as impressive in its category as the winner of a kitchen over $100,000.

No one will ever know.

If you are shy about submitting your work for evaluation in a competition…get over it. Participating in competitions is one of the best disciplines you can adopt. Preparing an entry forces you to look at your work from a different perspective, and it can be a “company changing” event, win or not. Sure, the winners are published for all to see, but even if you don’t win, you will be better for the experience and no one but the judges will ever know you entered. I can personally name at least 30 companies in the past nineteen years that made a commitment to this process, and used it as a way to help focus their efforts and encourage their staff. These companies may not have won an award in the first, second or third attempt, but eventually they broke through and, even during the years they didn’t win, their businesses grew more successful. Go figure.

 

2012 CHRYSALIS AWARD WINNING PROJECTS

Kitchen Remodel Under $50,000

National Winner (Team)
Monmouth Custom Builders, Deal, N.J.

National Winner (Team)          
Sheila Rich Interiors, LLC, Monmouth Beach, N.J.

Regional Winner           
Artistic Renovations, LLC, Seven Hills, Ohio

Regional Winner
Michael Nash Custom Kitchens & Homes, Inc., Fairfax, Va.

Regional Winner          
Renewal Construction, Puyallup, Wash.

Kitchen Remodel $50,000-$75,000

National Winner           
Metropolitan Builders Kitchen & Bath, Charlotte, N.C.

Regional Winner          
Case Design/Remodeling Inc., Bethesda, Md.

Regional Winner          
James Barton Design-Build, Apple Valley, Minn.

Regional Winner (Team) 
SEA Construction, San Mateo, Calif.

Regional Winner (Team)
Katja Rimmi Interiors, Half Moon Bay, Calif.

Kitchen Remodel $75,000-$100,000

National Winner           
Jackson Design & Remodeling, San Diego

Regional Winner          
Renewal Design Build, Decatur, Ga.

Regional Winner          
Normandy Remodeling, Hinsdale, Ill.

Regional Winner          
A&E Construction, Pennington, N.J.

Kitchen Remodel Over $100,000

National Winner          
Archia Homes, Duxbury, Mass.

Regional Winner          
Gayler Construction, Danville, Calif.

Regional Winner          
Mosby Building Arts, Kirkwood, Mo.

Regional Winner
Mosaic Indoor Living, Atlanta

Bath Remodel Under $40,000

National Winner          
Beautiful Remodel LLC, Gilbert, Ariz.

Regional Winner          
Knight Construction Design, Inc., Chanhassen, Minn.

Regional Winner          
The Wills Company, Nashville, Tenn.

Regional Winner          
Schmidt Contracting Services, Inc.Annapolis, Md.

Bath Remodel $40,000-$60,000

National Winner          
David Wilkes Builders, Austin, Texas

Regional Winner          
Kitchen & Bath Design Center, Bellevue, Wash.

Regional Winner          
TimeLine Renovations, Inc., Maspeth, N.Y.

Regional Winner          
James Barton Design-Build, Apple Valley, Minn.

Bath Remodel Over $60,000

National Winner
Hanson Carlen Construction, Spokane, Wash.

Regional Winner          
Feinmann Inc., Lexington, Mass.

Regional Winner          
Silent Rivers, Des Moines, Iowa

Regional Winner          
Carnemark Systems & Design, Bethesda, Md.

Regional Winner          
David Wilkes Builders, Austin, Texas

Addition Under $100,000

National Winner
Michael Nash Custom Kitchens & Homes, Inc., Fairfax, Va.

Regional Winner          
Smiley Renovations, Silver Spring, Md.

Addition $100,000-$250,000

National Winner         
John Caruso Builders, Whippany, N.J.

Regional Winner          
J.L. Tippett Construction Company, Potomac Falls, Va.

Regional Winner          
TreHus Architects+Interior Designers+ Builders, Inc., Minneapolis

Regional Winner          
Renewal Construction, Puyallup, Wash.

Addition Over $250,000

National Winner          
CG&S Design-Build, Austin, Texas

Regional Winner          
Vujovich Design Build, Minneapolis

Regional Winner          
Archia Homes, Duxbury, Mass.

Regional Winner (Team)
Sockeye Homes. Kent, Wash.

Regional Winner (Team)
Maple Leaf Design, Seattle

Residential Interior Under $100,000

National Winner          
Ispiri Design Build Remodel, Woodbury, Minn.

Regional Winner          
BRY JO Roofing & Remodelinng, Richardson, Texas

Residential Interior Over $100,000

National Winner          
The Wills Company, Nashville, Tenn.

Regional Winner          
Vujovich Design Build, Minneapolis, Minn.

Regional Winner          
Corvallis Custom Kitchens & Baths, Corvallis, Ore.

Regional Winner          
Gardner/Fox Associates, Inc., Bryn Mawr, Pa.

Residential Exterior Under $100,000

National Winner          
Michael Nash Custom Kitchens & Homes, Inc., Fairfax, Va.

Regional Winner          
Normandy Remodeling, Hinsdale, Ill.

Residential Exterior Over $100,000

National Winner          
Carpenter & MacNeille, Essex, Mass.

Regional Winner (Team)
Lemke & Son’s Construction, St. Paul, Minn.

Regional Winner (Team) 
Woodside Remodelers, Minnetonka, Minn.

Regional Winner          
Allen Associates, Santa Barbara, Calif.

Detached Outbuilding

National Winner          
Michael K. Walker & Associates, Sarasota, Fla.

Regional Winner (Team)
Alward Construction, Berkeley, Calif.

Regional Winner (Team)
Design Set Match, Oakland, Calif.

Regional Winner          
Paulson’s Construction, Inc., Howell, Mich.

Regional Winner          
The Levine Group, Silver Spring, Md.

Outdoor Living

National Winner          
Key Residential, Farmers Branch, Texas

Regional Winner          
Allen Associates, Santa Barbara, Calif.

Regional Winner (Team)
Monmouth Custom Builders, Deal, N.J.

Regional Winner (Team)
Bohn Associates, New York

Regional Winner          
Mantis Design/Build, Minneapolis

Residential Specialty Item

National Winner          
Knight Construction Design, Inc., Chanhassen, Minn.

Regional Winner (Team) 
Grossmueller’s Design Consulting, Washington, D.C.

Regional Winner (Team)
ART Design Build, Bethesda, Md.

Regional Winner          
Chermak Construction, Inc., Edmonds, Wash.

Regional Winner          
Mosaic Indoor Living, Atlanta

Whole House Remodel Under $250,000

National Winner          
Michael Nash Custom Kitchens & Homes, Inc., Fairfax, Va.

Regional Winner          
mackmiller design+build, Eden Prairie, Minn.

Regional Winner (Team)
M Designs Architects, Los Altos, Calif.

Regional Winner (Team)
Lynstar Enterprises Inc., San Jose, Calif.

Regional Winner          
Testament Construction Group, Baltimore

Whole House Remodel $250,000-$500,000

National Winner          
Sullivan Building & Design, Quakertown, Pa.

Regional Winner          
Allen Associates, Santa Barbara, Calif.

Regional Winner          
S.W. Scheipeter Construction, Webster Groves, Mo.

Regional Winner          
CG&S Design-Build, Austin, Texas

Whole House Remodel $500,000-$1 Million

National Winner          
The Block Builders Group, Bethesda, Md.

Regional Winner          
Jackson & LeRoy Remodeling, Salt Lake City

Regional Winner          
Provenance Builders, Dallas

Regional Winner          
PURE Design Environments, Eden Prairie, Minn.

Whole House Remodel Over $1 Million

National Winner          
Glass Construction, Washington, D.C.

Regional Winner          
FatBoy Construction, Tacoma, Wash.

Regional Winner          
CG&S Design-Build, Austin, Texas

Residential Historic Renovation

National Winner           
Sullivan Building & Design, Quakertown, Pa.

Regional Winner          
Provenance Builders, Dallas

Regional Winner
Tru-Built Construction, Lincoln, Neb.

Regional Winner          
Custom Kitchens by John Wilkins, Inc., Oakland, Calif.

Residential Universal Design

National Winner          
Greymark Construction, Houston

Regional Winner          
Glickman Design Build, LLC, North Potomac, Md.

Regional Winner (Team)
mackmiller design+build, Eden Prairie, Minn.

Regional Winner (Team)
Accessibility Design, Minneapolis

Best Green Remodeling Project

National Winner          
Matt Powers Custom Homes & Renovation, Houston

Residential Insurance Restoration

National Winner          
Chermak Construction Inc., Edmonds, Wash.

Regional Winner          
PURE Design Environments, Eden Prairie, Minn.

Regional Winner          
Star Construction Company, West Newbury, Mass.

Commercial Insurance Restoration

National Winner          
Sterling Group DKI, Tacoma, Wash.

Regional Winner          
A&I Incorporated, Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Regional Winner           
PURE Design Environments, Eden Prairie, Minn.

Commercial Remodel

National Winner          
Glass Construction, Washington, D.C.

Regional Winner          
TreHus Architects+Interior Designers+ Builders, Inc., Minneapolis

Regional Winner          
Fine Remodel, Sandy, Utah

Regional Winner          
TriVista USA, Arlington, Va.

Basement Remodel

National Winner          
Rule 4 Building Group, Elkridge, Md.

Regional Winner          
DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen, Springfield, Ill.

Regional Winner          
Sun Design Remodeling, Specialists, Inc., Burke, Va. PR