We want to hear from you! What’s your favourite? You get to have your say — while getting inspired for your next project — when you choose the renovation or new home you like best in the 2025 People’s Choice Award competition.
Sponsored by All Things Home, the People’s Choice Award is a prestigious trophy given out at the annual Housing Design Awards — a much-anticipated celebration of the Ottawa housing industry’s finest in design that’s put on by the Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association.
As the only category in the awards voted on by the public, All Things Home is proud to sponsor the People’s Choice. And it’s your chance to have your say on the best in Ottawa design. Voting takes place online from 4 p.m. Sept. 9 to 11:59 p.m. Oct. 5 and in person at the Ottawa Fall Home Show Oct. 2-5.
“We are excited to invite the public to vote for their favourite designs through our People’s Choice Award,” says Linda Oliveri Blanchard, who chairs the awards committee. “While winners of the Ottawa Housing Design Awards are selected by judges from across Canada who are top-level professionals in the architecture, construction and design industries, the People’s Choice Award is selected by the public.
“We love to see what the general public selects as their favourite design because it gives our industry’s designers insight as to what people are looking for when it comes to their desired look, feel and functionality that works in every day life,” she adds.
“Many of our finalists see this as the most prestigious trophy of the awards program. We draw thousands of votes from the general public, and we are very excited to see what design the public selects this year as the very best of the best.”
Last year’s winner, pictured above, was a stunning custom home by Modello Homes that paired a modern farmhouse esthetic with a cottage vibe.
This year, there are 15 entries to choose from, ranging from kitchen and bathroom makeovers to whole-home renovations and new homes. The entries are comprised of projects designed and/or constructed by the finalists in the prestige categories of the Housing Design Awards:
- Designer of the year
- Custom builder of the year
- Renovator of the year
- Production builder of the year
The winner will be announced at the awards gala Nov. 1 at the Shaw Centre.
How to vote
There are two ways you can vote.
Online: You can pick your favourite online at gohbavote.ca from 4 p.m. Sept. 9 to 11:59 p.m. Oct. 5.
In person: Cast your ballot at the huge GOHBA display at the Ottawa Fall Home Show Oct. 2-5. Along with the All Things Home People’s Choice Award candidates, all 250+ finalists in the Housing Design Awards will also be on display to offer inspiration for your next project and provide examples of renovators, designers, suppliers and builders you may be researching.
Here’s a look at the 15 projects vying for the 2025 People’s Choice Award:
Entry #1: Stylish Urban Retreat
By: Mattamy Homes
Mid-century modern furniture set against a neutral palette creates a timeless feel in this two-bedroom home, where the main living space is on the second floor and bedrooms are on the third level. It boasts an open-concept layout and minimalist approach in the kitchen to maintain a sense of spaciousness in the compact footprint.
Finishes have been selected to “balance modern sleekness with inviting warmth,” Mattamy says in its submission. Wood accents, including flooring and furniture, bring natural texture that softens the monochromatic palette.”
Entry #2: The Oasis
By: Minto
If this home looks familiar it’s because it was the grand prize dream home in last year’s CHEO Dream of a Lifetime lottery. As its name suggests, the home aims to integrate wellness and sustainability for health-conscious families, incorporating spaces for both mental and physical rejuvenation.
Designer Tanner Vine opted for a minimalist look featuring natural materials and a calming colour palette. At over 5,000 square feet, it’s a large home, but also one in which the spaces feel livable. It also includes solar panels, a hybrid heating system, and an air-source heat pump hot water heater for energy efficiency.
MORE: Take a tour of 2024 Minto dream home
Entry #3: Elliot – Embrun Central
By: eQ Homes with West of Main
eQ’s single-family home model at Embrun Central is inspired by classic countryside homes with a mix of traditional and timeless touches and softer tones like the powdery blue perimeter cabinets in the kitchen.
But there are also unexpected moments, such as the cranberry-coloured den-turned-music-room, the scalloped backsplash in the kitchen and a basement rec room that foregoes the typical sectional and TV in favour of an extended table for games or crafting and a workout space.
MORE: Explore the Elliot
Entry #4: The Reveli
By: Glenview Homes with West of Main
The Reveli is Glenview’s model home at its new Stittsville development of Union West. Teaming up with West of Main, the single-family home incorporates West of Main’s signature relaxed elegance style with earthy neutrals, natural materials and textures anchored in sage green.
The home includes four bedrooms upstairs with a fifth in the basement and a main-floor home office that can be converted into a sixth bedroom if needed.
MORE: Explore the Reveli
Entry #5: Quarry Park Contemporary
By: RND Construction with Hobin Architecture
A 3,000-plus-square-foot contemporary home was purposely designed for those who seek a strong connection with nature. It includes 10-foot ceilings, multiple fireplaces, a chef-inspired kitchen, six bedrooms and five-and-a-half bathrooms. The fully finished basement “accommodates multi-generational living with ease,” the companies say in their submission. “The lower level includes two bedrooms with walkout access and large windows, offering flexibility for a future two-bedroom, secondary unit or private retreat.”
The home is also certified net zero and smart-wired to provide centralized, automated control over heating, cooling, music, security and connectivity.
RND last won the People’s Choice Award in 2014.
Entry #6: Wonder on the Park
By: Casa Verde Construction with Hobin Architecture and 2H Interior Design
This modern two-storey home was designed for an active family, “where architecture and design support both dynamic living and restorative retreat,” the companies say in their submission. The interior is “carefully zoned to reflect the family’s lifestyle — active communal areas are balanced by quieter, more introspective spaces for study, rest and retreat. It was important to the client that the interiors were comfortable and welcoming for their large extended families.”
It comes with a three-car garage, five bedrooms, expansive mud room and separate kids’ den. The outside living area was designed as an extension of the interior with a covered dining and living area leading to the inground pool.
Entry #7: Urban Luxury Living
By: Amsted Design-Build
A massive custom home — it’s more than 13,000 square feet! — is tailored for an active family that loves to entertain. “The layout divides the home into public and private spaces: a grand main floor for more formal entertaining, a private second-floor suite and separate children’s wing for ultimate comfort, and a dynamic basement level for guests and recreation,” Amsted says in its submission.
Features include a grand hall with soaring ceiling, a prep kitchen along with the main one, a climate-controlled wine room and an indoor private basketball court with spa-style locker room, sauna and steam shower.
Entry #8: Modern Chic Living
By: Amsted Design-Build
Amsted completely reinvented this wartime house in a whole-home renovation, bringing light, space “and bold modern styling to a long-neglected structure (and) creating a future-ready home within its existing footprint,” the company says in its submission.
An open concept was created for the main floor, a powder room and ensuite were added, a laundry room was built on the second floor, and the basement was waterproofed and finished. The design is focused on a palette of black and white, with a moss feature wall in the living room to bring “a vibrant biophilic element into the sleek, modern interior.” The home is Amsted’s project in this year’s RenoTour Parade of Homes.
Entry #9: Cunningham Park Contemporary
By: RND Construction
A renovated 1950s bungalow brings a contemporary esthetic and a sustainable approach — it’s certified net zero — along with a “reinvention of space, lifestyle and design,” RND says in its submission. It was also RND’s project in last year’s RenoTour Parade of Homes.
The dated layout was opened up for a more efficient flow and a funky loft was added above the living room in a “blend of innovation and family-focused fun. The living room loft hovers playfully above the main living room, allowing children a unique and secure play space while natural light pours in through overhead skylights.” Incorporating a TV, the loft is a cosy spot for entertainment that maximizes vertical space.
MORE: Q & A with RND on this energy-efficient renovation
Entry #10: South of the Mountain
By: Lagois Design-Build-Renovate
“This renovation stands as a testament to thoughtful, client-focused design,” Lagois says in its submission, adding that it seamlessly blends innovation, functionality and esthetic appeal, all within the existing footprint of the home.
“Guided by the homeowners’ specific needs, we reimagined the interior layout to enhance flow, light and usability without adding square footage.” Strategic wall removals opened main living spaces, a reconfigured kitchen allowed for a spacious island perfect for food prep and entertaining, the staircase was flipped to address a lack of headroom, a frosted-glass home office provides a quiet, light-filled workspace that supports remote work without visual clutter, and a built-in bar area and beverage station now repurpose underused space.
The home is also a finalist in the Ontario Home Builders’ Association Awards of Distinction this fall.
MORE: Q & A with Lagois on this renovation
Entry #11: Re-Imagining the Lakehouse
By: Cada Construction with Shean Architecture
A heritage-designated Mock Tudor home sees new life in this substantial renovation and addition. Once entering the home “the transformation is immediate,” the companies say in their entry and the new interior atrium and central staircase in wood and steel is a prime example. “This experience is a welcome evolution from the previous labyrinthian arrangement of cellular spaces common in this style of home.”
Cada and Shean sought harmony in pairing the old and the new, while introducing light, better flow and connections to the outdoors.
Entry #12: The Horizon House
By: Flynn Architect with Casa Verde Construction
This contemporary custom home was designed and built with a connection to its hilltop setting in mind. “Designed to capture wide views of forest, water and sky, the home reads as a quiet horizontal line across the landscape rooted to the land, yet visually light,” Flynn and Casa Verde say in their submission.
Influenced by Nordic and Japanese minimalism, the home focuses on simplicity, calm and precision. Large frameless windows allow for an intimate indoor-outdoor feel. “Some of these openings span over 10 metres, creating a cinematic experience of the outdoors.”
Entry #13: Greenside Project
By: Sonya Kinkade Design with Laurysen Kitchens
Warm neutrals, natural materials and an abundance of texture create an inviting kitchen transformation “showcasing its classic English style,” the companies say in their submission. The small and dark space was opened and reimagined to create better flow and function, as well as a spacious great room where one hadn’t previously existed.
“While one side of the kitchen feels bright and open, the opposite side is rich in colour, featuring a stunning dark muted green and a dark quartz countertop.” Meanwhile, a custom bench area was designed beneath the window for cosy seating, complete with an English-style plate rack built into the cabinetry for vintage plates.
Entry #14: A Sight for Sore Eyes
By: Eastboro Designs with Parliament Millwork and Urban Quarry
Inspired by the charm of a French cottage esthetic, the great room, adjoining kitchen and ensuite of this home are given a timeless and serene makeover that utilizes soft tones, natural materials and an abundance of texture. The overall space — and the great room in particular — “was designed to offer a welcoming sense of calm and sophistication while celebrating the view beyond” in this waterfront home, the companies say in their submission.
In a slight departure, meanwhile, the powder room adds a pop of drama in saturated tones. “The space is unapologetically moody, richly layered and brimming with character.”
Eastboro and Parliament won the 2023 All Things Home People’s Choice Award, while Urban Quarry was a co-winner in 2021.
Entry #15: Iconic A-Frame
By: Linebox Studio with Casa Verde Construction
Calling it a new take on the iconic A-frame, this 7,500-square-foot chalet, which is anchored into a granite slope, “reimagines the alpine archetype with precision, restraint and material integrity,” the companies say in their submission. “It is a home shaped by the landscape rather than imposed upon it.”
Sixteen massive Douglas fir timber beams stretching 40 feet and weighing 30,000 pounds form the frame, which is exposed in the interior, showing “the architectural soul of the home, timeless yet contemporary.”
Designed as both a seasonal retreat and a full-time residence, it includes a ski and gear room, sunken hot tub, sauna and workout space among its features.
