Gold Award

Donatelli Builders, Inc., Wheaton, Ill.
Project location: Wayne, Ill.
Project cost: $65,000

Acouple in their late 30s wanted to add more panache to their already lovely two-story home, which was relatively new. When this couple originally built this home, their budget did not allow for extra amenities such as trim enhancements. Though it was extremely well-built, it had no real “personality.” This active couple desired the addition of more stunning architectural detailing to their home’s interior without changing any actual sizes of the rooms. They wanted to work with the framework that was already there, but add decorative trim, wainscoting, pilasters and other architectural components that would make their home stand out.

Donatelli Builders, Inc. looked at the big picture and found that the most dramatic impact would be made in the great room, where the adjoining foyer and dining areas would have to be transformed, too, in order to create a uniform look throughout. With boring off-white walls and no trim work in its original plan, Donatelli Builders needed to develop a consistent, chic and classical way to bring life to this previously lackluster space. The team decided on custom applied wall moldings, trim, crown molding, wainscoting and Benjamin Moore paint to alter the spaces and achieve the desired look.

Given the home’s modern look and the homeowners’ younger age, the challenge — in part — involved selecting the appropriate design for the paneling, wainscoting, custom wood trim, etc. Something too ornate and traditional might create a more formal look that didn’t reflect the couple’s personality, while something not dressy enough would defeat the purpose of adding a bit more sparkle to the not-so-interesting space.

To solve the problems associated with this project, Donatelli Builders chose a perfect pattern and style for the pilasters and trim throughout that fit the homeowners’ youthful, yet sophisticated profile. The added custom trim work and paint color used created a world of difference. The staircase was also transformed by repainting it a deep, dark rich brown, installing wainscoting and replacing standard wood profile balusters with iron ones.

The moldings make a stunning difference, allowing the walls, ceilings and arches to pop. Hutch-style, built-in cabinetry with a 54-in. built-in flat screen was added to allow for a warm but useful entertainment area. Raised panel wainscot was added to the foyer, dining and stair area for detail. Applied molding was installed in the two-story great room to add detail to large drywall areas.

In the end, Donatelli Builders was able to give the great room an identity that didn’t break the bank.

Specified Products

Flooring wood: 2 3/4-in. Brazilian cherry
Hardware: Emtak
Paints/Stains: Benjamin Moore
Trim: Kotter Medallion

Silver
Team Entry: Grossmuller’s Design Consultants, Inc., Washington, D.C. and A.R.T. Design Build, Bethesda, Md.

Bronze
Trebbi Custom Construction, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Honorable mention
CG&S Design-Build, Austin, Texas