“Miwa”, a modern, custom home by Phil Kean Designs, Inc., earned one of the home building industry’s highest honors when it captured the coveted Golden Aurora Award in the 2011 Aurora Awards design competition presented at the 33rd annual Southeast Building Conference (SEBC). Judges’ comments included this from Ed Binkley, AIA, Ed Binkley Design, Winter Park, FL: “This contemporary home blew away the competition from start to finish”, a complete package with clean lines; a spectacular entrance draws in you and does not disappoint. Continuity flows throughout with style, design and merchandising each complimenting and creating a complete package.” This contemporary home features clean lines and extensive details, a unique entrance of floating steps over moving water, attractive focal points, great flows of volumes and spaces, and incorporates large areas of indoor/outdoor living on both levels. The challenge was to connect the main home to the existing guest house which was accomplished with a center garden and floating step walkway which mimics the main home’s entrance. The garden features a fountain, fire pit, pool, outdoor arbor dining area, and LED lighting under the floating steps. Taking aging in place into consideration, there are master suites on both levels, elevator, and garage entrance. The home’s great room and kitchen open to the lanai, summer kitchen, and garden via folding and pocketing glass doors and uses a retractable screen concealed in the lanai. When the screen is lowered, it holds up to 90% of the home’s conditioned air and keeps out insects. The 2nd floor master and exercise rooms open to balconies. Foyer, stairs and great room: Dining area: Kitchen: Master Bedroom Suite: Master Bath: Alt Master suite: The home also has a theater room, library, and office/workshop with Murphy bed. Theater Room: This home was built for empty nesters who have long term guests, hence the private main residence and the close but not too close guest house. Golden Aurora Winner: Phil Kean Designs Category Name: CUSTOM HOME (One of a Kind) Over $3,000,001 For Project: Miwa located in Winter Park, FL Team Members include: Phil Kean Designs; Evergreen Consulting; CRT Studio, Inc.; Cabinetry Creations; and Harvey Smith Photography Size of Unit: 4728 Sales Price: $3,020,000.00 In addition to the Golden Aurora, Phil Kean Designs, Inc. was honored with Awards for Best of State, Kitchen, Interior Detailing, and Interior Merchandising. The nationally recognized Aurora Awards honor builders, planners, architects, developers, designers, interior merchandisers and other housing-related professionals in a 12-state region stretching from Texas to Virginia plus the Eastern Caribbean. Phil Kean Designs, Inc. partnered with CRT Studio, Inc. and Cabinetry Creations to produce the 4,728-square-foot, $3 million luxury home in Winter Park that a team of independent judges deemed the best of more than 200 entries. CRT Studio strives to create artistic, poetic, interior environments that create balance and harmony for our clients and their spaces. Through design communication, conversation and execution we make each project a distinct realization of their dreams. images courtesy of Phil Kean Designs, The Auroras and CRT Studio