NAHB awards showcase 2023 design trends

More than 140 single-family, multifamily, interior design, remodeling and community projects were honored at the 2022 Best in American Living™ Awards (BALA) ceremony during the 2023 International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas, hosted by the NAHB. The awards are sponsored by Monogram, and the media partner is Professional Builder.

Judges awarded nine Best in Region, seven Of the Year homes and projects, a Wow! Award and a Community Impact Award. These front-runners represent the nation’s best in home and community design, interior design and remodeling, and showcase top design trends that home buyers can expect to see in homes and communities over the next several years.

“Outdoor living was a huge focus in a lot of the awards we saw— from single-family to multifamily and community amenities,” noted Deryl Patterson, chair of the 2022 judging panel, and president and founder of Housing Design Matters, Inc. “Even in colder climates, there were great indoor/outdoor spaces that could be utilized differently depending on the time of year.”

Additional trends include:

• Wine in Design. These dazzling features provide not only a great focal point for entertaining spaces, but also highlight what wine symbolizes, Patterson shared. “It’s not just a drink, but a celebration,” she said. “We’re taking the celebratory nature of wine and making it a design element.”

• Luxury in the Bathroom. “The showers can’t get any bigger,” observed Patterson. The size of the home does play a role to some degree, and standalone or additional soaking tubs are more likely in bathrooms with larger square feet. Great bathroom designs also focus on the ability to bring in lots of natural light while still maintaining privacy, whether through frosted panes or outdoor privacy walls.

• Colorful Kitchens. From eye-catching backsplashes to ceiling details, today’s kitchens are expanding beyond the basic white and wood palettes in years prior through thoughtful touches and clean-line designs. Even hood designs are getting more creative as designers work to disguise them in clever ways and help them to blend more seamlessly with the overall space.

• Kitchen Islands also remained prominent in many designs. “The kitchen island continues to reign supreme,” stated Patterson. Award-winning designs featured creative insets and add-ons, such as wine fridges, and larger kitchens may feature not one, but two of these entertainment workhorses.

• Fantastic Foyers. Rich materials, strong contrasts and sweeping staircases made great first impressions in several standout entryways.

• Exteriors with Style. Details added a level of richness to the stunning projects that wowed the judges, including the 2022 BALA Home of the Year. From traditional to contemporary to modern farmhouse, rich regional materials found balance with contrasting colors to create strong curb appeal. Color blocking was also prevalent in multifamily designs to create a cohesive, yet unique, appearance.

More information about this year’s winners and trends can be found at bestinamericanliving.com n