This is it — the All Things Home People’s Choice 2024 final round!
For the past six weeks, the public has been voting on the entries in the Ottawa Housing Design Awards, choosing finalists for the People’s Choice Award. Now it’s time to pick the winner.
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 award voted on by the public, All Things Home is proud to sponsor the People’s Choice. It’s your chance to have your say on the best in Ottawa design.
“We are very 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 — judges who are top-level professionals in the architecture, construction and design industries — the People’s Choice Award is selected by the public.
“It is always interesting 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 looks, feel and functionality,” she adds.
“Because of this, 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 was a beautiful kitchen renovation by Eastboro Designs and Parliament Millwork.
Since Aug. 13, design enthusiasts have voted online for their favourite entries in several preliminary rounds to determine the 16 finalists among production and custom homes, condos, renovations, kitchens, bathrooms, green innovation and design details.
The winner will be announced at the awards gala Nov. 2 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 Sept. 24-29.
In person: Cast your ballot at the huge GOHBA display at the Ottawa Fall Home Show Sept. 26-29. All 200+ entries 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 entries in the People’s Choice 2024 final round:
Production homes
Entry: Equestrian — Minto Communities with Tanya Collins Design
The grand prize dream home in the 2023 CHEO Dream of a Lifetime lottery, the Equestrian was inspired by a British manor that designer Tanya Collins infused with rich colours and textures to make a bold statement.
The home is located in Minto’s Manotick community of Mahogany and the team says in its submission that it seamlessly blends “modern equestrian esthetics with the refined traditions of British riding culture.” The two-storey home includes a fully finished basement with media room, games room and wine cellar and more than 4,000 square feet.
Entry: Capella — Tartan Homes
Tartan Homes’ Capella model is a two-storey single with three or four bedrooms (the model has three), an open-concept main floor and 2,282 square feet. It was designed with a mix of the modern and the rustic.
“This potentially unassuming mid-sized single is packed with punch and delivers in functionality and edgy style,” the company says in its entry submission.
Custom homes
Entry: South Beach — Modello Homes
A custom bungalow loft done in the popular modern farmhouse style blends “rustic charm with contemporary elegance, offering a peaceful retreat,” builder Modello Homes says in its entry.
Boasting 3,800 square feet above ground (and another 2,000 in the walkout basement), the home includes vaulted ceilings, an open loft overlooking the living room, timber beams and shiplap on the ceiling, and four bedrooms.
Modello has a second entry in the People’s Choice final round stemming from this home — the ensuite (below) is also a finalist.
Entry: Rideau Riverside Retreat — Neoteric Developments
This custom urban home by Neoteric Developments takes its cue from the homeowners’ love of beach-inspired esthetics with “calming, soft hues reminiscent of coastal serenity.” The open-concept kitchen/dining/living room makes up the bulk of the main floor, with the porcelain-slab fireplace trimmed in wood taking centre stage.
The home is a tidy 2,380 square feet, with a main-floor den, three bedrooms upstairs (all with their own ensuite) and a fourth bedroom in the basement.
Condos / Rentals
Entry: The Nyx – Hillside Vista Rentals — Phoenix Homes
An efficient two-bedroom corner apartment by Phoenix Homes boasts plenty of pluses in its layout: the entrance is tucked away from the living space, creating a distinct foyer area; the main living area is open concept for easy entertaining; and the two bedrooms are located on opposite sides of the unit, providing separation and built-in privacy between both bedrooms.
Entry: The Urban Terraces at Longfields Square II — Campanale with Raywal Cabinets
Campanale’s Urban Terraces feature a two-storey layout that separates the living space from the bedrooms for greater privacy and less noise when sleeping.
The main level includes an open-concept living and dining room next to the kitchen, making entertaining convenient and providing handy access to the balcony. There’s also a powder room for guests. Upstairs are the two bedrooms, main bathroom and laundry closet for convenience.
Renovations
Entry: West Coast on the Rideau — Simmonds Architecture
Updating the look and function of a family home resulted in an unusual esthetic and some unexpected features, such as the West Coast vibe of the den (above) and the funky music lounge in the basement.
“With a desire for design that is both fun and timeless, this renovation blends modern sophistication with a sense of enduring style, creating a sanctuary that transcends trends and fads,” Simmonds says in its submission.
Entry: Roosevelt Realm — HD&P (Hamel Design & Planning)
A narrow 1920s home got a bit longer with the addition of a family room wrapped in glass and a striking deck beyond flanked by stone wall accents. The design called for the removal of the dining room’s exterior wall to integrate the new space with the old and flood the back of the home with abundant natural light.
“The family room invites a convivial, restful hangout destination for family and friends,” notes HD&P in its entry.
Kitchens
Entry: Boho Chic — The Cabinet Connection
A funky kitchen remodel was a “petit burst of pure joy … with clients who weren’t afraid to take some risks,” The Cabinet Connection says in its entry. A small galley kitchen was opened for better flow and the space carefully reorganized to find a balance between function and esthetics.
Peppermint cabinets give a nod to mid-century design, walnut accents create contrast, vintage wallpaper adds some fun and details like the open shelving create easy access when working in the space.
Entry: Sleek Simplicity — Laurysen Kitchens with Urbandale Construction
Urbandale’s Calypso model was designed with a somewhat alpine-inspired interior, hence the hints of Scandinavian in the kitchen with clean lines, a neutral colour palette and natural materials.
A generous island easily handles the triple duty of food prep, dining and social interaction, and open shelving provides an opportunity to display decor, yet there is still plenty of cabinetry for storage. “The layout is designed for ease of movement and efficiency,” Laurysen and Urbandale say in their entry.
Bathrooms
Entry: Whimsy — Distinctive Bathrooms & Kitchens
A balance of clean lines and whimsy define this bathroom renovation, which combines high-gloss acrylic, teak, quartz and funky tile into a quirky yet modern space.
“My biggest challenge was creating balance in the design while melding a variety of materials together seamlessly,” Distinctive’s Susan Mitchell says in her entry.
Entry: South Beach Ensuite — Modello Homes
Modello’s second People’s Choice entry for the same home is its ensuite, a sophisticated and pampering space. It boasts heated porcelain floors, a freestanding tub between the dual entrance shower, polished tile, quartz counter, rain showerheads and double shower and vanity.
“In this luxury bathroom … comfort meets sophistication, offering a retreat from the outside world,” Modello says in its submission.
Design details
Entry: Container Cove at Dunrobin Lake — Neoteric Developments
Two shipping containers see new life as a lakeside guest house in this project by Neoteric Developments, the company’s second project to be a People’s Choice finalist this year. Although compact, the dwelling includes a separate bedroom, bathroom, kitchen (with wall oven, microwave, fridge and quartz counter/backsplash), living room and both rooftop and ground-level decks.
The project is “a testament to innovative construction and thoughtful design,” the company says in its submission.
Entry: Whispering Waters — Laurysen Kitchens with Urban Quarry
A riverside home in Deep River was designed to fit with its natural environment. And while the kitchen may be the heart of the home, the primary consideration was to embrace the views to the river. Large windows and doors bring the outside in, with the opposite wall housing the appliances. That allowed a layout that includes both an island and a peninsula perfect for entertaining.
Ceiling beams and shiplap add to the rustic, natural feel of the home, while hints of clean lines balance out the look, blending classic and modern elements. The entry by Laurysen (its second People’s Choice finalist this year) and Urban Quarry is a finalist in the anywhere in the world category.
Green innovation
Entry: Adding More Green to Kanata Lakes — Urbandale Construction
Yet another company with a second entry as People’s Choice finalist, Urbandale has offered up one of its net zero ready homes at the multi-builder Kanata Lakes development in Kanata.
“Cost of living increases and climate change are two of the most challenging and anxiety-causing issues we face today,” Urbandale says in its submission. “We have chosen to empower homeowners to mitigate climate change while inflation-proofing their homes.”
While net zero ready homes typically do not come with solar panels already installed, Urbandale has included 13 low-profile, black-on-black panels. Along with features such as enhanced insulation, high-performance windows and superior airtightness, the home uses 54 per cent less energy than a typical new home built today.
Entry: Winter Garden House — The Lake Partnership with Building Knowledge Canada
This striking custom home is a study in balance: design with function, openness with privacy and connection to the outdoors with green innovation.
The project “began as an exploration of how to best balance the extremes of the Ottawa climate with the clients’ desire for a home filled with light and connected to the outdoors,” the companies’ submission says. “The design challenge was to balance these asks with a degree of privacy and protection from the bustle and noise of the adjacent transitway and streets.”
The double cowl design serves to both let the sun into the home’s courtyard and offer protection indoors. The home also uses materials throughout that are intended to age with grace, they say, from concrete and wood floors inside to solid wood siding outside.
All Things Home People’s Choice Award 2024 final round: Go to the voting site.
