By Kendra Dorosh

Each year, I’m intrigued by all of the blogs, social media posts and emails that flood my feed featuring the hottest trends for home design. We’ve seen it all, from floral everywhere to gray everything. Are these trends something that most designers track and incorporate into their latest work? Are we driving ourselves crazy trying to stay on top of the latest trends, or is it a necessary component of keeping a competitive edge in the market?

Congratulations to the three Chief Architect Kitchen/Bath & Interior Design Contest Winners!

Thank you all for sharing your designs with us and our community.

By Phillip Gibney

Chief Architect and the NKBA co-hosted an informative webinar focusing on how easy it is to start using 3D design software.

As many Chief users may already know, Chief Architect has partnered with the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) since 2003 to provide kitchen and bath designers with information and software tools to assist in their design process. Since partnering with NKBA, their input has helped us to develop tools that efficiently meet the standards of the kitchen and bath industry. Local chapter meetings held at Chief Architect headquarters gives our employees a look into the industry, while giving NKBA members a chance learn more, discuss, and give feedback on our software.

By Ariana Beaudry

Robert Smith embraces fresh design concepts to meet clients’ needs.

Our Second place Residential Design Contest winner, Robert Smith, was encouraged at a young age to start on his design path. When he mentioned that he enjoyed working with wood, his high school counselor suggested, “Why not draw houses?” to fill an elective. He proceeded to study Architectural Drafting all 4 years of high School, earned a degree in Architectural Design and Drafting from York Technical Institute, and has been an avid student of design ever since.

Congratulations to the 2019 Design of the Year winners!

Throughout 2019, Chief Architect held monthly design contests for our customers to showcase their work. Designers from all around the world, with vastly different backgrounds and design styles, competed head-to-head in the following three categories: Residential, Remodel / Additions, and Kitchen/ Bath & Interiors.

Each month our Facebook fans were asked to vote for their favorite design. The winners (1st, 2nd, 3rd) were entered into our year-end Design of the Year contest in December. Voting was open until January 9th and we are pleased to announce the winners! Discover more about the contestants through our Featured Contest Winner stories.

Grand Winners

Watch the live video for the announcement of the winners on our Facebook Page here.

By Ariana Beaudry

Second Place Kitchen/Bath & Interior Design Contest winner Cindy Baker has put relationships at the center of her nearly 30 years in the design field.

Cindy Baker has always forged her own path, taking guidance and inspiration from her relationships along the way. Growing up, her father’s home improvement projects fascinated her. In school, a well-known designer personally encouraged her to make design her career. And after earning a degree in Interior Design at Oklahoma State University, she sold her car and moved to London where she, “opened up a phone book and started making calls.” She recalls, “I was blessed to find a prominent designer who took me under her wing and into her world.”

By Kerry Hansen

Professionalism, experience, and a focus on clients make this company stand out.

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 Forbush

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 Kendra Dorosh

The team at Lake + Land Studio, LLC, has won first place in the Chief Architect Residential Design Contest with their charming Walnut Cottage. The home’s quaint features like a wrap-around porch, exposed rafters, and exterior trim details conjure thoughts of rest and relaxation.