Dave Kangas Wins 3rd Place with his Period-Specific Addition to a 1890’s Queen Anne Cottage.
By Jake Murray
Dave placed third in the Chief Architect Remodel/Addition Design Contest. His mission to design spaces that foster bonds between families has contributed to his success as a designer.

Dave, his wife Deanna, and their two daughters
“I’ve been designing on-and-off in an official capacity since 2005 (the design office was using v9.5 at the time), but I started using Chief Architect in 2000 or 2001 using version 6. Before Chief Architect, I started with notebooks full of sketches from age 12 and up! (more…)
Accessible Design using Chief Architect Software
It’s vital to be able to create a smart, functional design that fits the needs of your clients without sacrificing style. Let’s discuss how you can leverage the powerful tools in Chief Architect software to meet specific accessibility needs that will wow your customers, and hopefully have a profoundly positive effect on their day-to-day lives.
Leslee Spade Wins 1st Place with a Conch House Remodel in the Keys!
By Jake Murray
Leslee placed first in the Chief Architect Remodel/Addition Design Contest! Her winning design is a showcase of the potential for concrete structures in the Keys.
Leslee grew up knowing she’d be an artist of some sort. As soon as she began to write, she began to draw. As a child, she would sit and watch “Picture Pages” with Bill Cosby and according to her family was very accurate in her early efforts. She also painted her dad’s brand new leather jacket he got for Christmas with nail polish when she was 4 years old. Leslee’s mother, Roberta, knew right then her daughter would grow up to be an artist. Her passion led her to win many art competitions while in school. (more…)
October’s Residential Design Contest Winners
Congratulations to our three Chief Architect Residential Design Contest winners!
Thank you all for sharing your designs with us and our community.
Amanda Mattson Wins 3rd Place with Her Spacious Beach Inspired Bathroom
By Jake Murray
Amanda placed 3rd in the Chief Architect Kitchen/Bath & Interiors Design Contest! Her ability to learn from different design perspectives has contributed to her success as a young designer.

“My interest in design all started in high school when I decided to focus on art and design classes. I grew up in Massachusetts where I attended college in Boston at Wentworth Institute of Technology and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Interior Design. As a young designer, I am always curious about “what’s the new thing.” I am always wanting to learn from a different design perspective. For example, my last co-op I worked with architects and got to understand more about the structure. These advantages help me understand what I am designing and what I need to improve on as a young designer. (more…)
Wine Storage Solutions with WineRacks.com
By Emily Black
Chief Architect has been working with WineRacks.com since 2012 to offer their wine storage product line. Their USA made wine storage solutions provide a unique design for any small or large project.
WineRacks.com is located in New York’s Hudson Valley and has been serving their customers since 1992. Over the years, their product selections have expanded to include a wide range of small capacity wine racks, wine accessories, cooling units and lighting for wine cellars.
With the goal of providing the very best customer service and product quality, WineRacks.com is manufacturing their own wooden wine storage units within the US with environmentally responsible raw materials.
I had the chance to speak with Jeremy of WineRacks.com to dive deeper into what makes a great wine cellar.
September’s Remodel/Addition Design Contest Winners
Congratulations to our three Chief Architect Remodel/Addition Design Contest winners!
Thank you all for sharing your designs with us and our community.
Zak Rathgeber Wins 1st Place with His Modern Inner-City Kitchen Design!
By Jake Murray
Zak placed 1st in the Chief Architect Kitchen/Bath & Interiors Design Contest! A start with Lego houses has led to a long career and successful company of his own, Livara Design Inc.

Zak, his wife, and two children. With a passion for design that began at an early age, his work is the product of an experienced and talented designer. Congratulations on winning 1st place!
“I was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, Canada with a small stint in British Columbia. I always knew I wanted to design homes. I can remember sitting on the floor as a kid building Lego houses and hotels, and I always gravitated to drawing sprawling dream homes over all the other topics little kids usually draw! I was gifted my first drafting table when I was 13 or 14, and I was off to the races. I had a great Drafting & Design program in my high school and it definitely solidified my want to do this for a living. (more…)
Chief Academy 2018 Recap
By Dani Forbush
Last week Chief Architect held the 2018 Chief Academy near our headquarters in Coeur d’ Alene, ID. There were over 100 attendees who came for the 2 ½ days of in-depth training, 1 on 1 support, and networking events. Over the course of the event, Users were able to soak up the last few days of summer in Coeur d’ Alene through morning events and evening receptions.
Day 1 kicked off with a Welcome and Company Update from our CEO, Greg Wells. Shortly after, Users headed to their class to start training. Classes ranged from Introductory to Advanced, each taught by a certified Chief Architect Instructor. The day was full of tips, tricks, and techniques to help Users utilize Chief Architect within their business.






















































