by Kerry Hansen

Dan and his family wanted to remodel their kitchen. They turned to Chief Architect to visualize the design and help with material selection.

When the time came for a kitchen upgrade, Dan Absalonson, a 3D artist on the Chief Architect content team, used Chief Architect’s flexible cabinetry features and the wide range of objects and materials available in the 3D Library. Together with his wife Kadi, they set their sights on a kitchen remodel. The tile and grout countertop on the island is what brought them to remodel. “My wife was not a fan.” With a budget set, the couple brainstormed all of the updates they could make to enhance the look and usability of their kitchen. “We got excited about replacing the laminate countertops and adding some new full height cabinets at the end of the kitchen as a pantry.” The previous owners had a large desk there, and as it was, the kitchen ended abruptly. The space felt empty and awkward. Dan and Kadi decided to paint the cabinets, replace the countertops, expand the island, add full-height cabinets, install new fixtures, and incorporate a few other touches.

by Kerry Hansen

Hallie O’Higgins, a senior at Boerne-Champion High School in Boerne, Texas earned a gold medal in a national Interior Design competition. This year the event, put on by the Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), took place in Nashville, TN. 

Hallie has been involved with the interior design program at Champion High School since her freshman year. She was first introduced to Chief Architect during her sophomore year. Hallie credits her love for architecture and design to Chief Architect. “Once I began using the software, I discovered a love for architecture. Designing functional floor plans and decorating multiple spaces became so enjoyable with the Chief Architect software.”

By Kerry Hansen

With adventurous spirits, and the feeling of excitement that spontaneity brings, the Pedersens answer the call of the open road.

By Kendra Dorosh

Dreaming of renovating your home, but not sure what to expect? Thebuild.tv by Anthony Carrino may just be the new series you’ve been waiting for.

By Jake Murray

Congratulations to Nathan, who has won the Chief Architect Design of the Year Contest for two years running! What will he design next?

In 2018, Nathan placed 2nd in the Chief Architect Remodel/Addition Design Contest in September and won the 2018 Design of the Year Contest in December with his backyard getaway. Nathan wasted no time and entered into the Kitchen/Bath and Interior Design Contest in June of 2019 where he took 1st place with his Kitchen design. Nathan then went on to win the 2020 Design of the Year Contest in December. He’s certainly on a roll and we look forward to seeing what he’ll submit next year!

By Kendra Dorosh

What are the biggest challenges your business will face over the next year? If you said finding skilled labor and completing projects on time, you aren’t alone.

With housing starts at a high and labor shortages expected to continue, we set out to identify the biggest challenges that businesses are facing in the coming year and what they’re planning to do to address them. We heard from 35 building industry professionals who provided us with a pulse on what they are preparing for in the coming year.

By Dani Walker

What does a hot real estate market mean for professionals in the building industry? A significant backlog of work. Since 2012, there has been a steady increase in housing prices. That increase continues as inventory and labor availability shrink. 

By Adrean Stephenson

An Idea

Allen Tatomer, of Blue Collar Builders TV, has an idea. He plans to use his experience in construction project management, and his history as a home show TV producer, to provide rebuilding options to property owners devastated by last year’s Camp Fire in Paradise, CA.

By Jake Murray

Mike Irmen placed first in the Chief Architect Kitchen/Bath & Interior Design Contest. Mike has been using Chief Architect for three years and handles all residential projects from design to completion.

“Lewis and Company Construction is located in Little Rock, Arkansas and we have been servicing the Greater Central Arkansas area since 2001 with residential remodeling services. Recognizing the need to help customers visualize their projects in advance, we explored and experimented with several CAD programs, but didn’t find exactly what we wanted until we did the Chief Architect free trial.

By Emily Black

Have you ever fantasized about converting an unfinished room into a functional and beautiful space? One of our customers did just that.

Susie thoughtfully considered all aspects of her design and budget and made her dreams a reality! She picked up Home Designer Suite, redesigned her laundry room into a laundry/bathroom, hired a contractor and construction team, got permits and made her design a reality. The project turned out beautifully!