By Adrean Stephenson

The little room that won 1st place for the Powder Room category in 2017’s NKBA Design Competition is big on character! Lori Carroll’s take leverages a vaulted ceiling and the use of light and texture to make this Powder Room a space to remember.

“For this client, luxury is a state of mind; something that goes beyond the ordinary amenities and accommodations.  Wanting their guests to experience something special, the design concept for this powder room didn’t have to be extravagant or opulent; just beautifully simple.  When visualizing aesthetics for this project, a softer, more natural look conveyed the feel the client hoped for. The combination of stone, metal and wood creates a unified design in this powder room.”

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By Adrean Stephenson

Elma Gardner has only ever drafted her designs by hand, and they are beautiful. A fading art in our digital age, the small details are the most impressive in her style. My personal favorites are the tiny circles that don’t quite encompass the numbers for her Floor Plan Specification labels, eluding to the efficient confidence in speed her hands must take on as they traverse the page.

“I just happen to be one of those strange people that actually enjoys hand-drafting and have made a deliberate decision to stick with it. I like the process.”

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Valerie won 1st in our Residential Design Contest and has been using Home Designer software since 2012! As a repeat Design Contest winner, she has continuously shown her love for design through many styles and spaces.

“I started drawing floor plans when I was 9 years old, and I have been hooked on it ever since. I know I have much yet to learn, but Home Design is my passion, and my dream is to work for an Architect and learn more. I returned to school in 2002 and studied drafting which included Hand Drafting and AutoCAD. I earned an entry level drafting certificate in 2003 with a 3.9-grade level. About 1997 we got our first computer and it was not long before I bought my First Design software. Broderbund was my first program, then Better Homes and Gardens and lastly Chief Architect’s Home Designer software. Someday I would like to own the professional version. I live in central WV, but we will soon be moving back to my home state of PA. Besides designing homes, I enjoy reading, pets, cooking, drawing/painting, camping and more. This is a great honor for me and I thank everyone who voted for my entry for this month. I’m looking forward to next month’s contest. Congratulations to the other two winners!”

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By Adrean Stephenson

Over the years I’ve had a number of opportunities to leverage Chief Architect’s tools for projects with our friends in the industry. Not only is it exciting to mix up my regular routine, but I always get the extra benefit of coming away with newfound understanding of needs and details in these specialty areas; this latest project was no exception.

The Goal: Create examples of Kitchen and Bath projects that can be used as references for those studying for the CKBD examination.

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Megan placed 3rd  in June’s Remodel-Addition Design Contest! She discovered Chief Architect a few years ago when she was looking for a program to use to remodel her own kitchen.

“I’m a software developer from Utah who loves to design and create in my spare time (which isn’t plentiful with a full-time job and a toddler).  I have loved doodling since I was little and remember using my dad’s engineering paper to draw up designs as to how I’d remodel my parents’ home and yard when I was young.  I love browsing floor plans and touring homes and imagining my ultimate dream home.  I’m certainly not an expert, but love to play around with ideas and try to think outside of the box.  (And would probably be happy doing something along these lines as a job if the opportunity ever came up.) (more…)

Havier is a 15-year-old student from Sheboygan, Wisconsin and placed 1st in our Remodel-Addition Design Contest! It’s an honor to be a part of bringing his passion to life.

“My parents bought my first Chief Architect Home Designer Suite software for Christmas in 2013.  I started learning how to use the software and my first designs were pretty simple.  I’ve since designed countless homes and buildings.  The Chief Architect software began my passion for exterior and interior home design and I always look forward to software updates.  I am planning to go to college and obtain a degree in architecture and design.” (more…)

Corey won gold at Kansas SkillsUSA! His passion for architecture began at an early age and has developed through college and now into a full-time career.

“My dad is a land surveyor and I was always interested in architecture. In fact, when I was young my mother would take me to the library and instead of checking out normal young adult/children’s books I would get a few copies of Architectural Digest and look at all the house designs. My interest was always there, it just took me a bit after high school to get settled and figure out what I was going to do. (more…)

Rene of Daoust Design and Construction placed 3rd in May’s Kitchen/Bath and Interior Design Contest. He has been using Chief Architect for almost 10 years and focuses on the 3D tools to beat out the competition.

“I grew up in Oakland California and went into building custom homes in the Bay Area right out of high school. I have been a builder for over 17 years in residential remodeling, which is what inspired me to start designing. Ten years ago I was fortunate to have the opportunity to do some freelance design for an architecture firm that was using Chief Architect X3. I fell in love with the software and its ability to create realistic visual depictions of the kitchens and baths I would then get to build. I am currently a licensed General Contractor (inactive) working for Daoust Design and Construction as Lead Design/Production Manager. (more…)

By Derek Pedersen

Have you ever wondered why you should go to that industry related seminar or evening social event with a guest speaker?

It’s because networking is an essential part of building a business.  Networking is an easy and often free strategy for marketing and sales opportunities, as well as connecting and building relationships with service providers for your business. (more…)

Debra placed 1st in the Chief Architect Kitchen/Bath & Interior Design Contest. She develops house plans and has been a Chief Architect customer for almost 20 years!

“I’m from south Mississippi. I live/work in a little town called Wiggins since my husband and I got married 32 years ago.  I’m a Certified Professional Building Designer and a professional member of the American Institute of Building Design (AIBD).

“I started what would be my “career” after taking an architectural drafting class in high school. After college I started working for an engineering firm, drawing road projects, subdivisions, and local projects “on the board.”  After working with them 8 years (and doing house plans at night) I decided to leave there and open DesignHouse Inc – House Plans in 1991, full-time. I knew if I was going pursue this design field I would have to transition off the board onto a CAD program.  I’ve used several programs over the years but nothing has offered my clients the views that Chief does. (more…)