Zone Time

Winner: Interior Design
Singular Residential Space Over $25,000

With this renovation of a kitchen in a 1905 Colonial Revival home, the judges were thoroughly impressed with the architect's masterful use of space, which included removing a walk-in pantry. "The space is tight, but they made it sleek. Most of all, they made it work," they said.

Each kitchen task has its own zone. That was the key to the success of this kitchen transformation.

According to the design statement of architect Dutch MacDonald of EDGE studio, the greatly enhanced functionality was achieved by using zones. "The functions of cooking were organized into four zones: food storage, preparation, scullery (clean-up and storage of dishes, wet bar), and living (message center and breakfast bar). The desire was for convenient food preparation and clean-up in a modern space."

The judges used words like "beautiful," "dramatic," "well-planned" and "clever" to describe the materials (such as carmelized bamboo cabinetry) and enhancements such as garages and pull-outs, which are functional and also serve to keep the kitchen looking uncluttered and practically seamless.

Architect: EDGE studio
Flooring: Fossilized limestone by The Tile Collection
Millwork/Cabinetry: Custom carmelized bamboo by Jodi Lilly and Associates
Lighting: Tokistar from Liberty Lighting
Furniture: Folding stools by IKEA
Sink Counter: Custom stainless steel by Bishop Metals
Counters: Poured concrete by Scott Spear, SRS Construction
Appliances: Wolfe range, Bosch dishwasher, Broan range hood, Sub-Zero refrigerator, all from Hillmon Appliances

Out of the Dark

Winner: Do-It-Yourself
Design Solution Do-It-Yourself

Black is elegant, classic, (not to mention slimming), but sometimes it can be downright dreary. Such was the case with this cottage bathroom, which was rescued and revitalized by a talented homeowner, Kara Newmeyer.

"This project shows the potential of a person who's not in the business of doing a wonderful job themselves," the judges commented. They were impressed not only with how much brighter the room became, which was achieved easily enough with the use of white paint and white tile, but also with the homeowner's finer touches, including the choices in materials, fixtures, lighting and overall design. "The homeowner showed excellent restraint, not trying anything too complicated in a small room," they said.

The bathroom was made brighter with more than just white paint and white tile.

"Restoring my cottage was challenging, as the majority of the rooms were black from ceiling to floor. The bathroom was no different," said Newmeyer. "There was not a shower in the bathtub, which was a problem, since this is the only bathroom in the home. Also there was no closet in the room to store toiletries."

For storage, Newmeyer found a vanity that matched the style of the 1940s-era home and converted the mirror that came with the vanity to work as a medicine cabinet. The judges concluded, "This project is a testament to talented and dedicated do-it-yourselfer's abilities."

Homeowner/Designer: Kara Newmeyer
Flooring: Greenboard/Subfloor: The Home Depot, Tile: Lowe's
Grout and Spacers: Lowe's
Millwork/Cabinetry: Medicine Cabinet: The Home Depot
Lighting: Lowe's
Furnishings: Vanity and Mirror: The Home Depot
Sink Fixture: Lowe's
Shower: Shower Fixtures: The Home Depot, Tile: Best Tile
Curtain Rod and Hooks: Bed, Bath & Beyond
Curtain: Macy's
Other Hardware: Towel Holder and Shelf: Pottery Barn
Outlet Covers: The Home Depot
Plumbing: Shower and Vanity Installation: M. Kirsch Plumbing

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