Award Distinction
Lehigh Valley Firm Wins Award for Wine Cellar
C
reative Closets® was awarded the Lehigh Valley Builders Association (LVBA) Award for Professional Excellence in a Specialty Project category. Each year the LVBA honors local companies who exhibit outstanding innovation, quality and professionalism in the Lehigh Valley building industry. Creative Closets won the award this year for the creation of a masterfully crafted, custom Wine Cellar housing 1,284 bottles. “Wine cellars are becoming increasingly important to high-end homeowners,”’ said Ellyn Gellar-Elstein, President of Creative Closets. “They are a fashionable and functional necessity in many upscale neighborhoods.” She added, “The LVBA awards program brings to the forefront the fact that there are valuable and talented designers in the Lehigh Valley. We are honored to receive this award.”
10 residential April/May 2006
Creative Closets was founded in 1983 and is operated by GellarElstein, better known as The Closet Lady®, and her son Andy, who is Senior Vice President and COO. The company recently moved from their 14th Street location to their new design studio at 7248 Penn Drive, Allentown located just off of Rt. 100 and I-78. The company specializes in the design and installation of closets, custom dressing rooms, wine cellars, garages, pantries, home offices and commercial spaces. This is the fifth LVBA award Creative Closets has won. BMI www.CreativeClosets.com • 800-222-4464
Working Smart Profile
Building Products to Business Solutions One Company’s Focus on Actual Needs
V
alley Millwork & Door, Inc., has always excelled by creating business solutions that better serve their core building & remodeling customers. Direct connect type telecommunications with installers delivers smooth and timely installation of trim, door, and stair packages, allowing the builder or remodeler to concentrate on areas other than installation issues. The end results are installations that are completed on schedule. As product offerings and finishing options have expanded, Valley Millwork & Door recognized an opportunity to again assist with solutions that offer value in extending the services of their building and remodeling customers and in helping construction schedules stay on track. In a move to an expanded facility, Valley Millwork & Door carved out a dedicated Design Center in which builders can send their customers for product selections. Like all of Valley Millwork & Door’s solutions, this new center helps builders by streamlining the
14 residential April/May 2006
building and selection process. It is also important to note that pricing is not discussed or listed on any products at the Design Center, referring the homeowners to discuss this with their builder or remodeler. It is creative and insightful business solutions such as these that come from companies like Valley Millwork & Door, who are deeply imbedded in the trade and can see where true value lies. For Valley Millwork & Door, it’s not only providing products, but ultimately business solutions for their customers that make them a tough competitor and a desirable supplier. BMI Valley Millwork & Door, Inc 1249 Pembroke Rd., Bethlehem, PA 610-694-8888 George Wilkinson, President
WELCOME Design is an important consideration in today’s Lehigh Valley home. Not only for the added value, or for the enhanced use and enjoyment of your living space, but for also incorporating the extensive variety of products available for creating the perfect setting. To give you direction in locating professionals for designing, planning, and achieving your home dreams, we’ve identified select professionals who represent the leading edge of design in the Lehigh Valley. We’ve organized the pages by profession, and had each designer provide a photograph that represents their work. Scan the pages, select the photographs that inspire you, then read more about these companies in the narratives. This will give you a starting point for choosing the right professionals for your home design needs. We believe you will enjoy and find this ninth annual Design Guide a valuable, multipurpose, and year-round resource for bringing your home’s living spaces to life. We wish you an inspiring experience! Brett Bonnville BuilderMedia, Inc. 610-346-9061 Thomas Potts Bolling Greene Design 610-770-1777
User Disclaimer The publishers do not make any warranties or guarantees as to the services provided by the companies found in this Guide. Cover Photograph: Chuck Hamilton Photography | S&D Renovations, Inc.
Design Source
A Guide to Area Design Professionals Licensed Architects, Residential Designers, Interior Professionals, Cabinetry Designers, Landscape Professionals, Custom Storage Designers
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professionals from five fields of expertise, the Guide, with its listing and color photographs from area designers, clearly and quickly helps you identify the design professional that
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! FULL SERVICE ARCHITECTURAL AND SITE PLANNING FIRM SPECIALIZING IN FINE RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION IN VARIOUS TRADITIONAL STYLES /UR NEW HOMES RENOVATIONS AND ADDITIONS ARE CONFIGURED AND DETAILED TO REFLECT PAST STYLES BUT OUR EMPHASIS IS ON CONTEMPORARY NEEDS AND THOUGHTS 0ROJECTS RANGE FROM PRELIMINARY DESIGNS TO COMPLETE ARCHITECTURAL AND LANDSCAPING SERVICES FOR HOMES AND ESTATES
can assist you with your project needs. From licensed architects, to plan designers, to landscaping, cabinetry, and closet storage designers, each category provides you with contact information, a brief company description and project photograph. A great source that you can reference again and again as your design needs change. For your free copy, simply call BuilderMedia, Inc. at 610-346-9061, or email BuilderMedia@fast.net. 18 residential January/February 2004
Written Sample | Brett Bonnville | 610.346.9061 | Brett@goF4wd.com
Concrete + Steel Obstacles by Design | Bethlehem’s Skateplaza Design and skateboarding are both about expression. One physically shapes ideas, spaces, and things into existence by bringing various elements together. The other utilizes physical effort to be the end result, finessing body strength and coordination against fixed structural elements. Both require an emphasized level of talent, vision, and mental focus; and both come with risk and adventure. Both create. Both design. Both add flair to the everyday through the creative process of personal expression. Bethlehem recently boosted its sports and community cred with the opening of phase two of its south side skateplaza. According to project architect Erich Hornung, of David Hornung Architect Planner, Inc. [Allentown, PA], phase two was designed to emulate popular obstacles and other challenges from world renowned skate spots. “Where phase one was designed as a street or plaza style park with ramps and hand rails, phase two raises the skill level with more challenging obstacles.” Envisioned as a four phase project, the end result will provide an extensive sport recreation point for all board and BMX age groups and skill levels. Constructed of poured concrete and steel for low maintenance and an extended lifespan, the Skateplaza’s unique design gives Bethlehem its own character in the terrain world of skateboarding and BMX biking. As a side observation, the concrete and steel construction pays homage to the concrete and steel industries that have a solid history in the area. About the Bethlehem Skateplaza Driven by a grass roots effort led by Andy Po of Homebase Skateshop [Bethlehem, PA], and with the support of the city of Bethlehem, the Skateplaza benefits the community by bringing boarders and bikers off the street to skate and ride in a safe, and self policed environment. For more, visit the links below: • Bethlehem Skateplaza phase two final inspection • Phase 2 grand opening video • City of Bethlehem • Nowhere to ride: Andy Po shakes up a skate community • David Hornung Architect Planner, Inc.
Photograph purposely captured for use in article Link to published article: http://thedesignguide.com/design+skateplaza