Cream of the Crop

In the past year, numerous kitchens and baths have been remodeled or built anew. But only a handful of them have been so outstanding, so unique, they have stood as inspirations, as monuments of design and as testaments to adept problem-solving on the part of those who designed them.

This select few have stepped forth to claim top prizes, special recognition and honorable mentions in several different design competitions this past year. They have showcased the best of the best in terms of innovation, style and product applications in the minds of industry peers, design experts and competition judges who were charged with discerning the extraordinary from the ordinary.

Here, and on the next seven pages, Kitchen & Bath Design News takes a look at the cream of this year's award-winning design crop, and features the winners of a few of the most recent design competitions.

OUTSTANDING REMODELS
A nature-inspired kitchen, a well-appointed spa bath and another kitchen that meshes with a home's original 1925 bungalow-style interior took top prizes at the 2005 Contractor of the Year (CotY) Awards.

Sponsored by the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) in Des Plaines, IL, the CotY Awards recognizes annually the best remodeling projects designed by NARI members in good standing.

These particular kitchens and bath projects were among the 25 national CotY winners and five national honorable mentions that were named at NARI's 2005 Evening of Excellence held last month in Chicago.

These projects captured the attention of an impartial panel of judges from a field of entries submitted by contractors from seven regions nationwide. Here, the award-winning kitchens and baths prove why they captured the national prize in their respective categories.

Residential Bath Over $60,000
Martha Kerr, CMKBD, CR and v.p. with Neil Kelly Co. in Lake Oswego, OR, worked with architect David Spitzer to bring this master bath, and the rest of the 1920s Storybook home, into the new millennium. The luxurious master suite includes a beautiful new bath and a sunroom with French doors leading to a roof deck.

"With some creative space usage, and the conversion of [the] deck...we were able to accommodate all of their needs, and provide a wonderfully appointed master bath. The new master bath is a private and relaxing space that provides a spa-like room with many amenities," explain Kerr and Spitzer.

Indeed, the tumbled limestone bath itself features mission-style cabinetry from Legendary Woodworking Design & Material, heated floors and towel bar, a two-person shower, two lavs, a Sunrise Specialties pedestal soaking tub, a separate TOTO water closet, a fireplace and plenty of storage, counter space, natural light and ventilation.

Residential Bath $30,000 to $60,000
The octagonal rain shower is the centerpiece of this bath design by Joseph Billingham, CR, CLC, CKBR, of Billingham Built in Erwinna, PA. "It incorporates the concept of a nautilus as the innermost private chamber, and an octagonal shape, both of which establish common themes in Asian design," notes Billingham.
Another geometric shape, the square, provides a rhythm of repetition with square 3-1/2"x3-1/2" Pietra shower floor tiles, Pittsburgh Corning glass block shower enclosure and 7"x7" tiles in the TOTO water closet and vanity areas.

The bath is "the end result of a thoughtful collaboration, with the homeowners, architect, builder and interior designer all providing ideas and expertise," concludes Billingham. He worked with Joseph Catelli, AIA of Exton, PA and interior designer Deborah Macchia on the project.