Taking home the ARDAs!

The American Institute of Building Design's (AIBD) National Convention was held last week in Pasadena, California, where Visbeen Architects attended the American Residential Design Awards (ARDA) banquet celebrating the best and brightest in today's residential designs.  We were honored to receive 11 awards, including the prestigious Global Choice Award that we had implored you to cast votes for us over the last few weeks.  The Hasserton received nearly 1/3 of the total votes cast, so from the bottom of our hearts, thank you for the support!

Ten of our other projects were awarded for excellence in a variety of categories - here is the full list of our award-winners:

Hasserton

1st Place - Global Choice Award

Built by Scott Christopher Homes

Interiors by Jeffery Roberts Design

Tupelo

1st Place - Model Home (2,501 - 4,000sf)

Built by Mike Schaap Builders

Interiors by Benchmark Wood Studio

Andover

1st Place - Model Home (4,001sf & above)

Built by Tim Schollaart Builder

Interiors by Dwellings

Barron

1st Place - Published Design (2,501 - 4,000sf)

Built by Myers Builders, Inc

Highfield

2nd Place - Published Design (4,001sf & above)

Built by Falcon Custom Homes

Interiors by Ashley Cole Design

Shelburne

1st Place - Conceptual Design (2,500sf & under)

Tamlane

2nd Place - Conceptual Design (2,500sf & under)

Kismet

1st Place - Conceptual Design (2,500 - 4,000sf)

Dandridge

1st Place - Conceptual Design (4,001sf & above)

Multi-unit complex

2nd Place - Conceptual Design (any size)

Essex, Lennox & Brooklyn (River House Condominiums)

1st Place - Multi-family Design

Built by Falcon Custom Homes

Congratulations to the teams involved in making these projects award-worthy.  And thanks to everyone again for the votes!

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Shore Magazine: Gull Lake home designed for lakeside living and entertaining

Shore Magazine did a nice piece on our Gull Lake design, the Highfield.  If you haven't heard the story behind the design yet, check it out here...

GULL LAKE HOME

Gull Lake home designed for lakeside living and entertaining

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February 19, 2013 12:00 am  •  Jane Ammeson

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When it came time to design the house replacing the 3,000-square-foot summer home they’d enjoyed for 15 years, Mary and Kevin Beyer knew they wanted to take full advantage of their waterfront property on scenic Gull Lake in Hickory Corners, Michigan. But Mary Beyer wanted a home with a street presence while her husband opted for a home with a definitive lake presence.

“They talked to different designers before working with us,” says Angela Mulder, director of sales and marketing for Visbeen Associates Inc., a Grand Rapids and Chicago based architectural firm which won 12 American Residential Design Awards (ARDA) last year.  “They weren’t happy with their ideas.”

Wayne Visbeen, the AIA and IIDA certified president and founder of Visbeen Associates, was able to combine both visions to design Highfield, a $1 million 5,297-square-foot summer home built by Falcon Custom Homes and featured in the2012 Home Builders Association of Greater Kalamazoo’s 22nd Annual Parade of Homes.

“The home was created for entertaining and to maximize the view of the lakes,” says Mulder about the five bedroom and four and a half bath house. “The couple have adult children so to give them privacy there’s a two bedroom   apartment over the garage.  Outdoor living is enhanced with screened in porches and Wayne designed a boat bar that literally looks like the rear of a boat complete with a fog machine where smoke comes out of a pipe. There’s also another boat bar outside.”

The boat bar, with its rich mahogany features, is a homage to the vintage watercraft of yesteryear before the advent of fiberglass. Other special touches include five stall and three stall garages as well as one with space enough to accommodate the necessary toys of lake living such as boats, fishing gear and watercrafts such as jet-skis. Two of three bedrooms have walk-outs and the master bedroom features a private deck overlooking the landscaped garden fronting the water. A screened in porch connects the dining room to the lakefront without impeding the view.  The kitchen, with its two level island, is great for entertaining and a walk-in pantry with its sliding door can hold all the viands necessary for feeding large crowds.

The yard fronting the water has a stone pathway leading to the docks and almost every room in the home’s upstairs has a view of the lake. High ceilings, large windows, granite counters, white trim and warm toned colors accented with nautical themes which tie into the owners’ love of water make the home inviting rather than baronial. Heated hickory wood floors are a stylish way to keep feet from getting cold.

Though the original property was a heritage home, it also was definitely just for warm weather having no central heating and, awkwardly because of the way the ground slopes down to the water, access to the front meant walking down steps. The new home instead is multi-leveled with an indoor bridge providing easy access from the guest quarters and main street entrance to the lakeside living and entertainment areas.

“It’s a unique design even for us in the custom home business,” says Mulder. “It certainly is perfect for what the couple wanted.”

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Michigan Blue Magazine: Fall 2012

It's hard to believe, but fall is around the corner.  It is the final few days of August, the air each morning now has a crispness to it and trees have a hint of color change on the horizon.  Michigan Blue Magazine has captured the essence of the season in their fall issue.  From a pictorial tour traveling up US Heritage Route 23, to waterfront rustic cabins, it's an entire issue filled with autumn places to visit across the state.  Don't miss our Lakestyle Cottage called the Miramar as well as our back cover ad.  As our "Vision" cover suggests, visit our website gallery for a pictorial tour of the Highfield, the perfect party pad for any season.

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You be the judge!

We need your help!  One of our projects, the Highfield, is up for the Global Choice Award as part of the AIBD's American Residential Design Awards, so WE NEED YOUR VOTES!  The deadline is coming up FAST - all votes need to be in by midnight on Tuesday, August 6!  Here is how to cast your vote....

Step 1: Visit AIBD's Global Choice Award ballot page. (http://aibd.org/for_professionals/2012_Global_Choice/index.html)

Step 2: Click Custom Luxury entry #1c-12-002 (our project, the Highfield) to view a slideshow of the images and floor plans of this beauty!

Step 3: Click on the phrase at the top of the page, you will see a phrase that says "Vote for one of the Global Choice entries."

Step 4: That link will take you to the final part of the ballot where you enter your name and choose your selection.  Again, we highly suggest (wink, wink) you vote for our entry, #1c-12-002.

Step 5: Click VOTE!

Just in case you were wondering why you should vote for this project, check out these killer photos....

We appreciate your support! Feel free to pass this along to all your friends, family and co-workers!

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Highfield

The Highfield is a luxurious waterfront design, with all the quaintness of a gabled, shingle-style home. The exterior combines shakes and stone, resulting in a warm, authentic aesthetic. The home is positioned around three wings, each ending in a set of balconies, which take full advantage of lake views.

The main floor features an expansive master bedroom with a private deck, dual walk-in closets, and full bath. The wide-open living, kitchen, and dining spaces make the home ideal for entertaining, especially in conjunction with the lower level’s billiards, bar, family, and guest rooms. A two-bedroom guest apartment over the garage completes this year-round vacation residence.

 

For more photos of this lovely waterfront home, please visit the gallery of our website:

www.visbeen.biz > gallery > residential projects > cottages > highfield

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