The first rounds are done, the shortlist of finalists have been chosen, now it’s time for you to pick the winner of the Ottawa Citizen People’s Choice Award.
For the past five weeks, members of the public have been voting in preliminary rounds for their favourite custom and production homes, the most appealing renovations, and the kitchens, bathrooms and housing details they like best, all to whittle down a list of 184 entries in 53 categories in the Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association (GOHBA) Housing Design Awards to 14 finalists.
More than 3,250 people have had their say.
“The response has been amazing,” says Housing Design Awards chair Linda Oliveri Blanchard. “We again have a record number of votes so far. It really demonstrates our community’s interest in design in the residential construction industry.”
From these finalists, which consist of the top entries from each round, you now get to choose your ultimate favourite. The project that receives the most votes will be crowned the People’s Choice at a gala in October.
How do I vote?
Between Wednesday at 9 a.m. and Sunday at 11:59 p.m. you can vote online. You can also stop by the GOHBA booth at the Ottawa Fall Home Show — where all 184 of the entries will be on display — and vote in person from Thursday to Sunday.
The finalists range from industry veterans such as Christopher Simmonds Architect and Laurysen Kitchens, to big builders like eQ Homes, and to newcomers making a splash.
One of those newcomers is Neoteric Developments, a five-year-old luxury custom home company run by former cantor Shneur Bielak. In a first for the People’s Choice Award, Neoteric has an impressive four projects vying for the award, three of them stemming from the same home, which happens to be Beilak’s own home.
“I’m passionate about details,” he says. “I really love building outside the box .. coming up with new, innovative ideas.”
Here’s a look at all 14 of the People’s Choice finalists and the categories they are also nominated in: