BEST OF THE YEAR · a unique view looking over three bodies of water all in a row,” he says, “a pond, the bay, and the ocean.” The remodeled home’s exte - rior deck and landscaped

B E S T O F T H E Y E A R

Impressive EntryOf the Grand Award winners, the judges selected the Far Pond project by Bates Masi + Architects/Breitenbach Builders as the Best of the Year.

Phot

os: F

ran

Pare

nte

2014 Design AwardsIn 2014, less is still more. At least that’s how the judges of this year’s Remodeling Design Awards felt as they sought to reach agreement on which projects were the standouts. The buzzword: restraint. But while many sleek, contemporary designs were chosen for distinction, it was a sense of warmth and livability that ultimately elevated the winning projects.

As in years past, judges assessed both the merits of each project and also its pre-sentation. Entry binders where the work was attractively and clearly presented through professional imagery, concise but informative descriptions, and design de-tails that help tell the story of the project and its execution stood out.

On the following pages, we highlight this year’s winners, starting with the Best of the Year—the Far Pond project in Southampton, N.Y., by Bates Masi + Architects and Breitenbach Builders, a design effort that embodies all that makes a project exempla-ry: a clear concept executed with care and plenty of creativity.

But the following pages offer just a glimpse of these award winners. To delve deep-er—and to see winners from previous years—go to remodelingmag.com for slide shows, videos, design details, and more.

The AwArdsEntries are organized into 12 categories, with an additional 45 subcategories based on price. Judges are not required to award a winner in each category and have leeway in determining which projects show the highest degree of design expertise and craftsmanship. Our judges selected 18 projects for distinction: one Best of the Year, 8 Grand Awards, and 9 Merit Awards. The whole-house category had the strongest competition with 52 entries. Other hotly contested categories: kitchen (43), bath (24), and design/build (22).

The JudgesPaul Gaiserdirector of architecture Landis Construction, Washington, D.C.

Sean Ganey sales manager Sun Design, Burke, Va.

Karman Hotchkiss deputy director, home design content core at Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest MediaMeredith Corp., Des Moines, Iowa

Brett Moyer associate Feldman Architecture, San Francisco

Jane Treacyprincipal Treacy & Eagleburger Architects, Washington, D.C.

Aesthetics, craftsmanship, creativity, livability ... These 18 winning projects have it all. / by the Remodeling staff

s e P t e M B e r 2 0 1 4 / r E M o d E l I n G 3 7r e M O d e l i n G M A G . c O M


3 8 r E M o d E l I n G / s e P t e M B e r 2 0 1 4 r e M O d e l i n G M A G . c O M

s e P t e M B e r 2 0 1 4 / r E M o d E l I n G 3 9r e M O d e l i n G M A G . c O M

Clear View. Space flows freely through the home’s kitchen, dining, and living areas, leading the eye outdoors to the water views beyond.

Architect: Paul Masi, Bates Masi + Architects, Sag Harbor, N.Y.Contractor: Steve Breitenbach, Breitenbach Builders, Bridgehampton, N.Y.

PrIorITIES• Gain space• Increase natural light• Give new life to the original home’s intentions

Winning NatureBEST OF THE YEAR | whole-house remodeling over $500,000

The original home was too small for the homeowners’ needs and failed to take advantage of the site’s water views. “The ceilings were low and the apertures to the view were too small,” says archi-tect Paul Masi. “There was a real disconnect between the view and being in the building.” What the 1970s kit house did have going for it was its solid post-and-beam system. “A nice structural system,” Masi says, “with great moments, which needed to be uncovered.”

The question for Masi was, “Do we mimic what’s there, or, do we look at what was there and say, ‘That’s the history of this por-tion of the house; how do we continue the story in a new man-ner?’” He opted for the latter.

Masi partnered with Breitenbach Builders, who stripped the home down to its framework of cedar beams and joints of raw steel. The architect then used that palette to accentuate what he calls the “primary system for the addition”—blackened raw steel panels that serve as both a structural component of the building and the actual finish of it. Ferra Designs, in Brooklyn, N.Y., fabricated the panels (read more about this design element on page 34). “We wanted [the material] to have functionality and beauty,” Masi says. And as a pa-tina forms over time, the material will continue to subtly change. A perforated version of the panel is used on the interior stairwell, for a dining room light fixture, and in privacy screens inside as well as on the exterior.

Oak on the floors and ceilings provides continuity, marrying the old and new parts of the house. Masi raised the ceiling and reoriented the interior spaces, strengthening the connection to the outdoors with views from the kitchen and dining room. “It’s a unique view looking over three bodies of water all in a row,” he says, “a pond, the bay, and the ocean.” The remodeled home’s exte-rior deck and landscaped spaces also make the most of this setting.

Steel Strong. Folded blackened steel panels—shown here in the kitchen— express the new structural system. The panels—solid or perforated—are used in various locations in the home.

Stairs & More. Architect Paul Masi’s “light, airy, and sculptural” stair has blackened perforated steel risers and white oak treads, with an integrated desk that takes the notion of built-in furniture to a new level.





Judges’ CommenTsThis is a “nice use of materials,” and the design is “brilliant to reference the idea of the original home.”

“It’s not just contextual in how it looks but in the story it tells. I can see someone coming along 50 years from now and under-standing this.”

The kitchen, in particular, is “stunning—surprising yet func-tional—and there are beautiful details throughout. The [archi-tects] brought a lot of integrity to their design.”

“The material palette is restrained without being repetitive or boring. You can look at this house for a long time and still find things that you hadn’t discovered [upon first view].”

“It’s warm, livable, and elegant but not stuffy.” The award entry presentation is well done, “really beautiful.”

open Up. Sliding glass doors in the master bedroom bring in light and views.

Bold Bathers. In the guest bath (left), the bulk of the simple wood vanity provides visual balance with the hefty structure of the post-and-beam ceiling.

Products used in this project include: Corian countertops; Grohe kitchen plumbing fixtures; RAB light fixtures; Benjamin Moore paints and stains; Wolf oven; Sub-Zero refrigerator with custom panel.

Lots more online! To see full slideshows of this year’s Remodeling Design Award winners, visit remodelingmag.com

4 4 r E M o d E l I n G / s e P t e M B e r 2 0 1 4 r e m o d e l i n g m ag . c o m

Phot

os: l

eft:

Bat

es M

asi +

Arc

hite

cts,

LLC

; rig

ht: S

am O

bert

er

2 0 1 4 D E S I G N A W A R D S

Tapped PotentialGRAND | commercial remodeling under $250,000

In Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse Square neighborhood sits the Tria Taproom, a hip local watering hole where bartenders pour beer, wine, cider, and artisanal sodas from 40 unmarked shiny taps at the marble-backed bar—a setup that contractor Vince Massara de-scribes as the most complicated beer system he has ever installed. But the taproom wasn’t born this way. The project began with the team gutting nearly 90% of the old building’s interior. With each lay-er they peeled back, they discovered remnants of other restaurants and bars past. “It was like urban archaeology,” architect Joshua Otto says. With a blank slate, they set to work creating the owner’s vision of a trendy place with rustic finishes and a masculine feel achieved through dark wood, exposed brick, and chiseled stone walls, with custom light fixtures made from black gas pipe.

Architect: Joshua Otto, Otto Architects, Jenkintown, Pa; David Whipple, Assimilation Design Labs, PhiladelphiaContractor: Vince Massara, Three Services Corp., Philadelphia

Old House, New StyleGRAND | whole-house remodeling $250,000–$500,000

The clients, an interior designer and a DJ, wanted their 1960’s kit house in the Easthampton village to serve as a weekend retreat from their urban home. Although Bates Masi + Architects was com-missioned to do a complete renovation and addition, it was import-ant to the clients that the original structure and the patina of the home’s wood be preserved. Using traditional materials—particularly natural rope—in innovative ways helped achieve a cohesive aesthetic that maintains old features while accentuating new ones. Contractor Brian Mannix first stripped down the house to its bare bones, giving the structural engineer and architects the chance to rethink how to merge existing with new. The result: fresh design concepts integrate with the original intent of the home, and plenty of drama is created without succumbing to the kitsch typical of many vacation homes.

Architect: Paul Masi, Bates Masi + Architects, Sag Harbor, N.Y.Contractor: Brian Mannix, Mannix Custom Builders, Amagansett, N.Y.

Lots more online! To see full slide shows of this year’s Remodeling Design Award winners, visit remodelingmag.com


Phot

os: l

eft,

Sco

tt H

argi

s; ri

ght:

Ani

ce H

oach

land

er

Campus ConnectionGRAND | better living/universal design over $500,000

Gallaudet University, in Washington, D.C., is specifically for deaf and hard-of-hearing students, yet the common areas of some of its residential halls weren’t designed with this student body in mind. The spaces lacked visual connectivity—particularly important with-in the deaf culture—ultimately having an isolating effect on stu-dents. Of the university’s seven residential halls, four (built between 1965 and 1979) were remodeled to make the five major touchpoints between deaf experience and the built environment—sensory reach, space and proximity, mobility and proximity, light and color, and acoustics—a physical reality through the design team’s thoughtful planning and careful materials selection.

Architects: Robert Sirvage, DeafSpace design researcher, and Hansel Bauman, campus architect/founder DeafSpace Project, Gallaudet University; Todd Ray, Studio Twenty Seven Architecture, Washington, D.C.Contractor: Ardencia Love-Smalls, Monarc Construction, Falls Church, Va.

2 0 1 4 D E S I G N A W A R D S

Eichler ExperienceGRAND | design/build over $250,000

When Stephen Shoup, owner of Building Lab, bought this mid-century modern Eichler home in San Rafael, Calif., he wanted to honor Eichler’s design but not be constrained by it. In particular, Shoup wanted to make better use of a street-facing dining room that felt overly exposed to passersby. He also wanted better flow from the dining room through the kitchen to the living room in back—but again, without corrupting the original Eichler design. The resulting remodel is an exercise in opacity, ranging from the solid to the transparent, that starts at the sidewalk with landscap-ing that reduces but doesn’t block visibility to the home. The big interior change involved building a kitchen in its existing space but with walkways on either side, thus increasing front-to-back flow. Opacity figured in the kitchen design, too, in the form of a translucent panel covering what would have been open space between the kitchen and the living room behind it.

design/Build: Building Lab, Oakland, Calif.



Phot

os: l

eft:

Sta

cy Z

arin

-Gol

dber

g; ri

ght:

John

Sut

ton,

Ada

m R

ouse

Small Space, Big ImpactGRAND | basement remodeling $50,000–$100,000

This 119-year-old row house in a historical district of Wash-ington, D.C., was afflicted by a problem common to older homes: It didn’t accommodate a modern lifestyle. With a compact footprint of 959 square feet and a ceiling height of just 6 feet, the homeowners were in dire need of space and storage. The first step was to lower the floor level by a foot, allowing for more flexibility in the design and opportunities to be creative with the space. In addition to creat-ing a living room, kitchen, exercise room, and remodeling the bath-room, a key goal was to provide accessible yet thoughtfully designed storage for bikes and other items. Architect Donald Lococo devised a deceptively simple-looking panel system for storage that seamless-ly fits together while also creating a hallway. A neutral palette and light walls make the most of the available natural light.

Architect: Donald Lococo, Donald Lococo Architects, Washington, D.C.Contractor: Michael Myers, Cornerstone Renovation Management, Vienna, Va.

Light ’Em UpGRAND | whole-house remodeling over $500,000

When the owners of this loft by the San Francisco Bay came to Aidlin Darling Design for guidance, they had a vision for their home in a turn-of-the-century Edwardian building, recalls project manager Leonard Ng. They wanted to renovate the whole space and had specific requests: They wanted something “transformative and light-filled,” but didn’t want direct sunlight; and despite wanting to curb noise from nearby nightlife, they wanted large double-hung windows. To achieve that vision, the design is organized around a two-story skylit entrance and has a “light shelf”—a wall that reflects light laterally through the surrounding space. With angular walls and labyrinthine corridors, remodeler Drew Maran agrees that the loft “required a lot of ingenuity.” Each piece of the puzzle—from the kitchen counters to the entry’s razor-thin guardrail—needed to be designed and installed with extreme precision.

Architect: Aidlin Darling, Aidlin Darling Design, San FranciscoContractor: Drew Maran, Drew Maran Construction, Palo Alto, Calif.

2 0 1 4 D E S I G N A W A R D S



Phot

os: l

eft,

Ani

ce H

oach

land

er; r

ight

: Gre

g Po

wer

s

2 0 1 4 D E S I G N A W A R D S

Sleek & StylishGRAND | kitchen remodeling, $50,000–$100,000

When Lenny Ilkovich, both client and contractor for this project, bought his 2005 rowhouse in Washington, D.C., it felt dark and en-closed because the kitchen bisected the space and worked against the home’s narrow footprint. Seeking an open, modern kitchen that would complement his active nightlife, Ilkovich contacted Richard Loosle of Kube Architecture. Loosle’s design called for tearing down the single interior wall that previously defined the kitchen area to open up the space and create a custom bar at one end and a dining area at the other. Bold materials with striking colors signify the transition of spaces—an “apple martini” green Caesarstone kitchen island anchors the space. Narrow lights and restaurant-style vents in the dropped ceiling provide subtle functionality. Underneath the cabinets, colored LED lights—a signature Kube design element—play up the “nightlife” feel Ilkovich wanted.

Architect: Richard Loosle, Kube Architecture, Washington, D.C.Contractor: Lenny Ilkovich, Washington, D.C.

Getting Bigger, Going GreenerGRAND | green remodeling over $250,000

Architect Todd Ray of Studio Twenty Seven Architecture wanted to “achieve site specificity with a high-performing sustainable res-idence,” when he remodeled his own home in Arlington, Va. Built in 1944, the original brick structure had few windows and no insu-lation, and the developers had given little thought to orientation, topography, or access. Keeping the existing masonry core, Ray ex-panded the home’s square footage via an upstairs addition. A geo-thermal system was installed, spray foam insulation applied, and water-saving products selected. The home was opened up to admit natural light, and salvaged materials were used where possible. A comparison of utility bills pre- and post-remodel revealed that even though the house is now about three times larger, it uses 64% less energy per square foot than the original home. With Ray’s modifi-cations, the house was able to achieve LEED Platinum certification.

Architect: Todd Ray, Studio Twenty Seven Architecture, Washington, D.C.Contractor: Neil Moodhe, Phelps & Phelps Consulting, Rockville, Md.



Phot

os: t

op, S

cott

Har

gis;

mid

dle:

Jos

hua

Cur

ry; b

otto

m: M

icha

el U

nder

woo

d

Precisely RightMERIT | bathroom remodeling $50,000–$100,000

Faced with a tight budget, the owners of this San Francisco-area residence delayed completing their whole-house remodel. When the pitter-patter of little feet came along, Building Lab came in to complete the master suite guided by the original architectural plans. Simplicity, clean lines, and continuity drove the design, in-cluding removing headers to create a continuous ceiling plane in-terrupted only by slots for sliding doors. Precisely aligned materi-als include a Caesarstone-wrapped vanity and inlaid ipe floor mat.

Architect: Neal Schwartz, Schwartz and Architecture, San Francisco: master planContractor: Stephen Shoup, Building Lab, Oakland, Calif.: final design, detailing, specifications

Meaningful MaterialsMERIT | design/build under $100,000

The client, an avid painter, wanted a studio space added to her home, drawing inspiration for the future from elements that remind her of the past. To achieve this combination of old and new, remodel-er Bryan Christian used “old-school” materials in conjunction with trendy new design features. It was important to the client to include materials that have meaning for her, so Christian incorporated a salvaged Palladian window from a church and window sashes from the client’s high school. The interior is outfitted with custom and salvaged materials such as repurposed French doors. On the exteri-or, hefty roof brackets add emphasis, and poplar beveled siding gives the addition an aged quality.

Architect and Contractor: Bryan J. Christian, James Bay Restoration Carpentry, Knoxville, Tenn.


2 0 1 4 D E S I G N A W A R D S

Coastal InspirationMERIT | bathroom remodeling $25,000–$50,000

In many master bath remodels, designers remove the tub to cre-ate a more functional, spacious bath. Remodeler Nick Balding was asked to remake the space while retaining the tub for this young, growing family. To improve the layout, he replaced the corner tub with a 6-foot tub along the wall, relocated the shower, and added a transom window and glass surround to admit natural light. Glass pocket doors also let light filter in, while separating the bath from the master bedroom and closet. In the grooming area, Caesarstone tops a custom vanity. Whimsical nautical touches—porthole medi-cine cabinets and white wood paneling—round out the design in this coastal North Carolina home.

Contractor: Nick Balding, Balding Brothers, Wilmington, N.C.


Phot

os: t

op, m

iddl

e: G

reg

Pow

ers;

bot

tom

: Cha

d W

adsw

orth

Opened UpMERIT | whole-house remodeling $250,000–$500,000

The clients, who just had their second child and often host large gatherings, found that their house—a cramped, divided space—in Chevy Chase, Md., felt more like a box than a home. They wanted to knock down walls and admit more light, but on a modest budget. The fix: transform the home into a courtyard house by adding two wings—a large kitchen and roomy master suite—that feature large windows and sliding glass doors. Though the budget required using less-expensive materials, the team didn’t skimp on the windows and sliding doors. The remodel also includes a cathedral ceiling in the liv-ing room and an ipe deck that spans most of the length of the home.

Architect: Janet Bloomberg, Kube Architecture, Washington, D.C.Contractor: Stas Wronka, Housecraft, College Park, Md.

2 0 1 4 D E S I G N A W A R D S

Basement OasisMERIT | basement remodeling over $250,000

To change the interior, the remodeler began with the exterior. An outdoor garden pavilion with a “ceiling”—a steel frame and teak slats—creates a basement getaway. The openness of the space and the continuation of the teak slats to the outside connects indoors and out. In the basement, a folding wall expands or encloses the space; storage compartments seamlessly line a teak wall below the mahogany stair; and a side wall hides a TV, sound system, and additional storage. Behind a movable panel of etched glass, a new bathroom includes sleek fixtures. The entire space is lit using LED or fluorescent lighting in coves and has radiant heat in the slab.

Architect: Janet Bloomberg, Kube Architecture, Washington, D.C.Contractor: Stas Wronka, Housecraft, College Park, Md.


Ebony & IvoryMERIT | whole-house remodeling $250,000–$500,000

This remodel transformed a dilapidated 1927 bungalow in the Austin, Texas, neighborhood of Travis Heights into a “bi-nuclear” home consisting of two zones—one for fun, one for function—in two tones, one dark (new addition), one light (existing home), connected by a glassy entryway. New windows and skylights pro-vide openness and light, while a sleek, modern design gives the impression of wide open space. With sustainability in mind, the home’s design takes solar orientation and cross ventilation into account and includes a rainwater collection system. Lumber from the original home was reused in shiplap accent walls, counter-tops, and entry steps.

Architect: Alterstudio Architecture, Austin, TexasContractor: Ford Strei, Ford Strei Builders, Austin


Phot

os: t

op: G

reg

Pow

ers;

mid

dle:

Nat

han

Web

b; b

otto

m: G

reg

Page

Pho

togr

aphy

Old Dog, New TricksMERIT | historically sensitive renovation over $300,000

In the Samuel Noakes House, architects Elizabeth Reader and Charles Swartz were handed an 1810 two-part building with vary-ing floor levels and rooflines, different-size windows, and all the ser-vice lines situated on the exterior. Prior to its remodel, the building had two apartments, each occupying a single story and stretching across the original home and its addition. The team reconfigured the apartments so that one fills the original home and the oth-er takes up all of the addition. Existing construction was revealed where possible and materials salvaged when practical.

Architect: Elizabeth Reader, Charles Swartz, Reader & Swartz Architects, Winchester, Va.Contractor: Will and Micki Martindale, Houseworks, Berryville, Va.

Dignity—Classically RestoredMERIT | craftsmanship/detail $25,000–$50,000

Sometime during its long life, the living room fireplace in this 1912 Arts and Crafts Tudor home in St. Paul, Minn., was “mod-ernized” with drywall put up between two original pilasters and the addition of a slab marble surround. When David Heide Design Studio’s team went to work on finding furniture for the room, it discovered that behind the drywall was a plaster panel with a re-lief, and behind the marble was the original brick. Research turned up a 1914 catalog showing the plaster relief, and the homeowners decided to reestablish the fireplace as the room’s centerpiece. The plaster relief and brickwork were carefully repaired. A new white oak over-mantle was built to frame the frieze, and a pair of period- appropriate light fixtures were restored and installed.

Architect: David Heide Design Studio, Minneapolis


2 0 1 4 D E S I G N A W A R D S

Freshly Modern KitchenMERIT | kitchen remodeling under $50,000

This 1950s home in Washington, D.C., was prized for its mid-cen-tury modern look but needed updates in the kitchen and elsewhere to meet 21st-century needs. Janet Bloomberg, a Kube Architecture partner and the home’s owner, opened up and restructured the rooms but didn’t relocate them. Fresh finishes and colors were in-troduced throughout, and built-in storage was created wherever possible. Bloomberg pushed contrasts by replacing the solid-core door to the kitchen with a glass one, letting in lots of light, while si-multaneously using black glass on appliances. A dark gray wall pro-vides a strong counterpoint to the custom-made turquoise cabinets.

Architect: Janet Bloomberg, Kube Architecture, Washington, D.C.Contractor: Ricardo Cardenas, R Construction, Takoma Park, Md.

Documents

BEST OF THE YEAR · a unique view looking over three bodies of water all in a row,” he says, “a pond, the bay, and the ocean.” The remodeled home’s exte - rior deck and landscaped