Award | Design Adventures | Interior Design Firm | kitchen, bath & home design, aging in place, renovations, remodels


Brighton remodeling professional wins Award for Excellence Design Adventures also awarded “2008 Contractor of the Year”

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(Denver, Colorado), (January 5, 2009) – Brighton-based Design Adventures was recently named Front Range Chapter Winner in the 2008 Contractor of the Year (CotY) Award competition. Design Adventures received the award in the “Residential Renovation under $100,000” category for a kitchen project in the Bonnie Brae neighborhood in Denver. Design Adventures winning project included the kitchen, laundry and formal dining room. A major factor of this project was incorporated universal design concepts that would prepare the home for retirement years. The areas were opened up through widened doorways and a pass-through counter creating more functional, social, and spacious areas without altering the original footprint of the house. Some universal design features incorporated were full extension rollouts and drawers, C-shaped hardware on doors and drawers, maximized storage within 18”-54” height above the floor, and appliances with easily accessed and operated controls. The kitchen gained four linear feet of counter surface so the cook can enjoy spending time preparing meals. Design Adventure’s Carolyn Deardorff, M.A., CKD, IIDA, CAPS, spearheaded the project.





Design Adventures is beginning its 20th year in the interior design business. The firm’s focus has narrowed in the last decade to specializing in kitchen and bath renovation along with universal design. Deardorff is a CKD (Certified Kitchen Designer) – a designation gained through testing administered through the NKBA (National Kitchen & Bath Association). Deardorff wrote her Master’s thesis on the topic of universal design. Universal design is a concept where products and environments are designed in such a way that the broadest audience can use them without modification. The appellation CAPS stands for Certified Aging in Place Specialist. This is a designation awarded those trained and tested through the NAHB (National Association of Home Builders) Remodelers Council in the unique needs of the older adult population and solutions to common barriers. Deardorff has found the CAPS designation works hand in hand with universal design concepts to thoroughly consider appropriate home modifications for adults desiring to stay in their current home. With the aging of America and multi-generational living, these concepts are applicable to the majority of the population. The CotY awards are part of an annual competition held by the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI). Contractors from the Front Range Chapter vie for CotY Awards on an annual basis. Projects submitted for judging are an improvement or an addition to an existing structure. New construction projects are not eligible. In addition, this year’s competing projects were completed between July 1, 2006 and June 30, 2008 and had not been submitted in prior NARI contests. Judging for the local awards took place at the Association’s headquarters in Aurora in early October. An impartial panel of judges who are experts within the industry and associated fields, selected winners based on each entrant’s “before and after” photography and project description. Judging was based on problem solving, functionality, aesthetics, craftsmanship, innovation, degree of difficulty and entry presentation. To be considered for a CotY Award, a company must be a NARI member in good standing. Design Adventures is not only a member but sets on the local chapter board of directors. NARI members represent an elite group from the approximately 800,000 companies and individuals in the U.S. identifying themselves as remodelers. Design Adventures is a member of the Front Range Chapter of The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI), the only trade association dedicated solely to the remodeling industry. With more than 7,000 member companies nationwide, the Association—based in Des Plaines, Illinois—is “The Voice of the Remodeling Industry”^TM. For membership and chapter information, or for more on the COTY Awards, visit NARI’s website at www.RemodelToday.com, or contact the national headquarters office at 800-611-NARI. The remodeling market, a $291 billion industry in the U.S. in 2006, is expected to continue to experience significant growth. It is estimated that more than a million homes per year undergo major renovation or remodeling. NARI is a professional association whose members voluntarily subscribe to a strict code of ethics. Consumers may wish to search www.RemodelToday.com to find a qualified professional who is a member of NARI.