2026 Design Contest Winners


Modern farmhouse-style home with green siding, metal roof, covered front porch, and attached two-car garage surrounded by landscaped greenery and tall trees.

Profile image of Danielle Schroeder By Danielle Taylor

Chief Architect has monthly contests for customers to show off their work. People with various backgrounds and styles compete in the following categories: Kitchen/Bath and Interior, Residential, and Remodel/Addition. Please help us congratulate the winners!

Residential-April

Chloe Cronk  Profile Image
Chloe Cronk

1st Place: Chloe Cronk

As a designer at Pacific Home Source since 2016, I create thoughtful residential designs using Chief Architect, building detailed plans that guide projects from concept through construction and help bring each client’s vision to life. I enjoy the balance between creativity and problem-solving that this work offers. Whether navigating site constraints or refining layouts, my focus is always on practical, well-considered solutions that support how homeowners live, while maintaining a strong visual presence.


Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family and my dog, as well as working on hands-on creative projects and exploring different mediums. Building things myself keeps me inspired and carries over into everything I design.

Cailyn Poschner Profile Image
Cailyn Poschner

2nd Place: Cailyn Poschner 

Cailyn Poschner is the creative powerhouse of Habitat Design Co. She seamlessly combines her environmental passion with a profound love for design, resulting in a distinctive skill set that she applies to all her projects. Equipped with a BCIN designer accreditation, LEED GA certification, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Advanced Technology, Cailyn’s primary focus is the creation of spaces that balance functionality, beauty, and sustainability.

3rd Place: Scott Phillips

Kitchen,Bath, and Interiors-March


Leslie Ann Gali Profile image
Leslie Ann Gali

1st Place: Leslie Ann Gali 

“I am a Design Draftsman at Quest Cabinetry & Design in Bozeman, MT. I am known for my thoughtful, balanced leadership and my commitment to continuous improvement. I approach my work with a mindset of refinement, consistently raising standards through attention to detail and incremental progress. Passionate about transforming creative ideas into functional, meaningful spaces, I believe interior design is ultimately about enhancing how people live—an ethos reflected in the words of Albert Hadley, who emphasized designing for real life over passing trends.

Outside of work, I love exploring the outdoors with my dogs, Dolly and Trixie, as well as with family and friends—whether kayaking, hiking, camping, or off-roading. I also enjoy baking and cooking up new treats, catching live concerts, and sharing meaningful time with loved ones. Every adventure and experience keeps life exciting and full.


Grounded in faith and driven by curiosity, I embrace life fully—seeking growth, adventure, and meaningful experiences at every turn. As it is written, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord” (Colossians 3:23).”

Christine Gauthier profile image
Christine Gauthier

2nd Place: Christine Gauthier

Christine Gauthier leads the design department at Custom Built Design & Remodeling, guiding a talented team of designers who collaborate closely with homeowners to bring each project to life. She studied Architecture at the University of Michigan and has worked at several design-build firms across the country. For over 12 years, Christine has specialized in custom homes, full home renovations, and landscape design. She has always had a passion for architecture and enjoys designing thoughtful, timeless spaces, putting her heart into each project she works on.

3rd Place: Natalia Balic

Thank you to everyone who shared their designs with us! Learn how to enter our upcoming contest for a chance to win.

4 comments

John M.

It’s always nice to get insight on the winners of these design contests, especially hearing about their educational and experience backgrounds which have made them successful. However I think Chief Architect is missing a huge educational opportunity by not explaining what key aspects of each of the designs made them the selected “Winner”. This insight could sharpen the focus of the designers and their design entries, on potential areas needing improvement, thereby allowing them to be more successful in their careers and possibly becoming future winners of your design contests.

Chief Architect

Hello John!

Thank you for your feedback. Winners are determined by vote through our social channels, we will be sure to include this information in future posts.

Best,

Chief Architect Sales

Anthony Vogel

Pictures of the winners are nice, but I have no doubt that pictures of their designs would encourage more people to actually read their words.

Chief Architect

Hello Anthony!

Thank you for your feedback. You can click each contest label to view the full album of entries. We will bring the feedback to include more design images within the article to the team.

Best,

Chief Architect Sales


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