2023 BALA Winners: The Best of the Best
You'll find plenty of inspiration in these four award-winning projects from the Best in American Living Awards
The New American Home 2024: Modern Features, Timeless Comfort
Explore the design elements and unique, luxe details that combine to create a sense of comfort and relaxed indoor/outdoor living in The New American Home 2024
Explore the Desert Comfort Idea Home
Take a virtual walkthrough of the bright and airy living spaces inside the Desert Comfort Idea Home...
Luxury Meets Legacy in a Family-Oriented Lakeside Custom Home
This project from the 2022 Best in American Living Awards is inspired by its legacy and location and creates a new foundation for future generations to call home
2022 BALA Projects: Kitchens That Cook
These kitchens from the 2022 Best in American Living Awards showcase on-trend design and innovative ideas for any price point
A Texas Empty Nester Home and Studio With Room for Family, Too
A renowned residential designer takes on the task of creating his next home, and the result is both beautiful and functional
The courtyard neighborhood concept - Larry Garnett, Larry Garnett Designs
Larry Garnett's design submission blends the setting of a cozy courtyard neighborhood with a narrow footprint that wraps the home around an inviting and functional side yard.
The living apart together house - Jerry Messman, BSB Design
Jerry Messman of BSB Design presents a unique house plan geared for people who are looking to share housing.
The Legacy House - John Thatch, Dahlin Group
Dahlin Group's John Thatch presents a house design concept that can serve multiple generations as a family moves through life.
The One-and-One Great Room scheme - Dale Patton, Danielian Associates
In smaller homes, a typical great room can become uncomfortably tight. The One-and-One Great Room by Dale Patton of Danielian Associates not only feels large, it lives large.
Next-gen home design maximizes outdoor living - Phil Kean, Phil Kean Designs
Phil Kean's design concept for the New American Home features movable glass panels and a large lanai to maximize outdoor living.
The up-front kitchen configuration - Sarah Susanka, Susanka Studios
Sarah Susanka's latest Not So Big House project places the kitchen and eating area adjacent to the front porch, making the outdoor space a natural extension of the kitchen’s habitable area.
The keyed garage configuration - Jeff Larsen, MVE & Partners
Jeff Larsen of MVE & Partners presents a rowhouse concept with an interlocking or keyed garage configuration that achieves higher densities than conventional rear-loaded rowhouses.
The Ability House - Arthur Danielian, Danielian Associates
This plan by Art Danielian of Danielian Associates Architecture + Planning is designed to serve multi-generational living with its detached “casita” unit.
Rethinking great room design - Aram Bassenian, Bassenian Lagoni
Bassenian Lagoni's Aram Bassenian presents a house plan that solves some of the design tradeoffs typical in great room homes.
Special Report: Can design innovation jump-start home building?
Longtime marketer and home-building industry consultant John Martin has seen many housing cycles: good community development and design innovation, he says, have always been the path back. Can design innovation do it again?