Housing Design Awards Sets Multiple Records – Winners Announced

It was a special night for Ottawa’s housing industry Nov. 2 as excellence in design was celebrated at the GOHBA Housing Design Awards in record fashion.

The annual awards gala, now in its 41^st year, is one of the largest events of its kind in the city. A record 760 guests gathered in Canada Hall at the Rogers Centre Ottawa (formerly the Shaw Centre), which was decked out in a theme of urban graffiti, complete with on-site artists creating works for auction, break dancers, record spinners and an Airstream RV serving signature drinks.

“Our goal was to create a fun and exciting event, and I believe we achieved that goal in spades,” says Linda Oliveri Blanchard, who chairs the awards committee.

Trophies were awarded to area designers, architects, builders, renovators and suppliers in 54 categories ranging from kitchens and bathrooms to production and custom homes, renovations, green innovation, design details and more. In all, there were 232 finalists (another record) from 369 entries (yet another record).

“Not only did we have a record number of entries and companies participating, but the quality of entries continues to climb even further, with our members striving to raise the bar even more each year,” says Oliveri Blanchard.

“The annual Housing Design Awards is a chance for us to formally recognize those in the residential construction industry who have demonstrated an exceptionally high level of excellence. Our members design, build and renovate some of the best homes and communities in North America, and this is where we crown the best of the best.”

Entries were judged by 12 industry experts from across the country, who each had certain categories to evaluate in blind judging.

“Overall, I was very impressed with the superior quality, the forward thinking, the beauty of these submissions,” says designer Benjamin John Ouellette of BJOID Inc., who judged the kitchen and bath categories. “Greater Ottawa has absolutely phenomenal talent.”

Many of the trends or recurring elements that we saw in last year’s awards continued or were amplified this year. Arches, texture, wall treatments and wood were all popular, as they were last year. Joining them this year were moody bathrooms and the use of rich, saturated colour everywhere.

“I love saturated colours,” says Alan Loranger of Towne & Countree Kitchens, who also judged the kitchen and bath categories. “It was nice to see so much texture in materials.”

Big winners

Leading the pack was RND Construction, which took home seven trophies ranging from custom homes and kitchens to green innovation and one of the prestige categories — custom builder of the year, a category that RND has won repeatedly, including for the last three years in a row.

“It's always a thrill to win,” RND owner Roy Nandram said the morning after the gala. He then added: “We need to think about the people who help us win an award: our staff or subtrades; our architects and designers we work with; and, more importantly, we have amazing clients.”

Among his two tables of guests were three sets of clients, some of whom joined the RND team on stage to accept trophies, which he then gave to the clients to take home rather than adding to the wall of trophies in his office.

RND also picked up the win in the hottest category of this year’s awards — powder room — beating out 19 other entries.

“That was a very special powder room,” he says. “The design was very good, and the quality of the finish, the uniqueness of the powder room, I think, made it win.”

When it comes to powder rooms, “it's a small and mighty room,” says Loranger. “It's the only room in your house where your guests will be all by themselves.”

Following closely behind RND was a trio of companies with five wins each: Hobin Architecture, Laurysen Kitchens and Cedar Ridge Designs & Custom Cabinetry.

Two of Hobin’s wins were for the Peridot infill development near the Experimental Farm (new community and for its production home category), while Cedar Ridge also had a double win for a custom home with RND (the powder room winner and the home’s kitchen) and Laurysen had a double win with Minto Communities and Tanya Collins Design for the kitchen and ensuite of last year’s CHEO lottery dream home.

“We're very, very happy with the results, says Laurysen’s vice-president of sales and marketing, Corey Laurysen. On having a balance between kitchen and bathroom wins, as well as custom versus production, he noted: “It just really represents us well and shows what's possible with Laurysen … It doesn't matter what type of project it is; we can find a solution.”

Other prestige category winners included Shean Architects, which was named designer of the year among a crowded field of 12 entrants, and Amsted Design-Build, which reclaimed the renovator of the year award for a record 11^th time. Amsted was also named provincial renovator of the year at this fall’s Awards of Distinction put on by the Ontario Home Builders’ Association.

For Amsted owner Steve Barkhouse, the overwhelming feeling was gratitude.

“Grateful to see a record turnout to the event and a record number of fantastic submissions. Grateful to be pushed harder every year by our strong competition...

“Grateful to have had a front row seat for the past 35 years to watch these incredible people and their businesses grow. This is a tough business and these are tough, creative, strong and generous people that are the fabric of our community.

“Grateful to know that the Amsted team belongs here. And grateful to have so many wonderful friends that I have made, working with and competing against for 35 years.”

Other notable wins

Minto and Collins scooped up an impressive three trophies for one home — the 2023 lottery prize home. A prime example of design infused with rich colour, the home was decorated with a palette of deep green, blue, burgundy and caramel.

Collins won a fourth award for best home office and Minto also captured a fourth, for production builder of the year, a prestige award the builder last won in 2022.

“We were honored to receive three awards in recognition for last year’s Minto dream home for CHEO and feel very humbled to have been recognized again as GOHBA 2024 production builder of the year,” says vice-president of sales and marketing Anthony Minchella. “Having been recognized for this prestigious award for the fourth time in the past six years … is a tremendous honour.”

Collins was equally thrilled. “It feels wonderful to cap off our six-year run of design work (on the dream homes) by being recognized once again by industry experts in blind judging. Each interior has had a very different esthetic and we were fortunate to have had an incredible partner in Minto Communities, who trusted and supported our creative vision from the beginning.”

The final prestige category was the coveted All Things Home People’s Choice Award, the only trophy that is determined by public vote. This year’s award went to custom builder Modello Homes for a sophisticated modern farmhouse bungalow loft in an estate subdivision.

“The home blends rustic charm with contemporary elegance, offering a peaceful retreat,” the company says in its submission. Almost 2,000 people voted in several rounds over seven weeks this summer and fall to determine the winner.

PLOTNONPLOT Architecture teamed with Crossford Construction to win three awards of their own for one home, dubbed the Warren. The quirky yet sophisticated custom urban home took its cue from a rabbit’s lair, says PLOTNONPLOT co-founder Bex Fernando, with the main living level partially embedded into the ground and boasting eye-catching round windows scattered throughout. The project won its custom home category and for its kitchen and primary ensuite.

Fernando says the clients “really bought into” the idea for the home. “We as a firm take a really conceptual and narrative approach to the project” to create a custom home that tells a story.

For veteran renovator and custom builder Crossford, the triple win was a validation.

“This project was extremely unique … and definitely a lot of interesting elements,” says president and founder Lindsay Nicol. “We’re thrilled, to say the least.”

And Claridge Homes won four trophies, two for its Sussex model and one each for its Wentworth and Shinnecock models, all at River’s Edge in Riverside South. The homes opened earlier this year.

“Claridge is incredibly proud of this achievement,” says Leah Tynan, Claridge’s assistant sales and marketing manager. “These awards are a recognition and a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team.”