The Little Things That Count

Coffered ceilings. Craftsman styling. Simpler, cleaner cabinetry lines. Combining surface materials like steel, glass, stone and plaster, and not just in the kitchen. Increased influence from Europe and Asia. And above all, perfect attention to detail.

These are just some of the trends winning the hearts and pocketbooks of consumers across the country. Most noticeably, homeowners are spending their remodeling dollars on specific rooms - especially kitchens - and features rather than just going for big, big, big.

The judges of Professional Remodeler's first national design awards program assessed all projects with the same five criteria: aesthetic and visual appeal; value delivered for the price; quality of workmanship; space planning and functionality; and how well problems were solved and challenges met. The outdoor living category saw the biggest gains, but kitchens remain the showpiece projects, comprising over a quarter of the total entries.

From the gold winners throughout the four regions, seven projects emerged as Best of the Best. They represent the highest standards of our criteria, each with a laudable noteworthiness that took the project from good to great.

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