November 4, 2008
On election night, 650 homebuilding industry professionals gathered at the Aqua Turf for the 15th annual HOBI Awards. There was hope in the air for a new President and for some positive economic news in the coming months.
Clearly, everyone in the room needed a MORALE BOOST, and that's what the HOBI Awards are all about. In fact, a new national web site, happyrenews.com, reports only the good news in real estate, and there is happy news in the Connecticut housing market.
Project of the Year winner Stewart Lade, Timberdale Homes with Joanne Carroll
HBACT 2008 President Bill Ferrigno, incoming President George LaCava, Treasurer Barry Rosa, Past President Greg Ugalde and CEO Bill Ethier.
2008 HOBI AWARDS
In 2008, we had some beautiful winning homes and communities and many of them were either GREEN or high performance energy-efficient. We saw everything from a 1,500 square foot Not So Big House in New Canaan to a 16,000 square foot custom home in Greenwich.
What are this year's trends?
In a continuing trend to creating outdoor space, the HOBI Award judges saw balconies, decks and porches off multiple rooms, including master baths and guest bedrooms. Builders are using higher baseboards, beadboard ceilings and more intricate trim.
We saw windows in showers, extra large marble floor tile in baths and glass mosaic tile continues to be popular. This year, white kitchens reign, not just in spec homes, but in custom home after custom home, and I-Pod docks are common! And finally, more builders are using both open and closed cell spray foam insulation and moving well beyond Energy Star construction.
Here is a look at the well deserving top award winners for 2008:
2008 PROJECT OF THE YEAR
TIMBERDALE HOMES
Stewart Lade did a masterful job remodeling a 3,500 square foot multi-level cottage and adding 600 square feet of living space under the constraints of an extremely restricted envelope, steep topography and two hundred feet of frontage on Candlewood Lake. Special features of this home include an Eastern pine timber frame, oval wood dining room, six foot high dining room wainscot wall top with a plate rail supported by corbels, beaded plank kitchen ceiling.
2008 SPEC HOME OF THE YEAR
STONE HARBOR LAND COMPANY
This is a magnificent 11,000 square foot English Tudor style home adjacent to Greenwich Country Club. The white cedar and Sikens exterior is designed with terraces off the living room, family room and mahogany paneled library. There is a lower level English Pub, 4,000 bottle wine cellar, separate three car garage with hydraulic car lifts and a pool with fire pit.
CUSTOM HOME OF THE YEAR
SOUND BEACH PARTNERS
This stately Georgian colonial in Riverside was designed by William Kleinman with granite front and side porches, copper roofed arched portico and Temple of Winds columns. The elegant pool house features an antique spider Palladian window. Other special touches: the kitchen oak center island topped with Calcutta gold marble, custom oak paneled library with built-in cabinets and library lights;coffered family room with antique molding incorporated into the paneling.
COMMUNITY OF THE YEAR & BEST 55+ COMMUNITY
WYNDHAM HOMES FOR CHATFIELD FARMS
When completed, this resort style, gated community in Beacon Falls will have thirty-three homes. The 10,000 square foot community clubhouse, the Fieldstone Club, features a spa, aerobics and massage rooms, outdoor bar, barbecue and fire pit. There are three miles of nature trails and a private lake with picnic area. Pictured is the award winning Cambridge model.
REMODELED HOME OF THE YEAR
HOBBS INC.
A simple New Canaan renovation became an entirely new home. A few of the many special features include new floor to ceiling Palladian windows which wrap around the entire sunroom, new roof deck of Venetian granite with custom fabricated Azek railing, subzero wine chiller, domed sky blue ceiling in the breakfast area, which is part of a three story bell tower.
ARCHITECT OF THE YEAR
BARTELS-PAGLIARO ARCHITECTS, LLC
Bartels-Pagliaro Architects has developed a premier reputation for striking, livable home design. For several years, the firm's custom and remodeled homes have won top honors at the HOBI Awards
Click here for a list of all the 2008 HOBI Award winners
