BLB Sweeps Gold at the BRAGB PRISM Awards

Josh joined BLB in late 2022. He started as a supporting carpenter and quickly proved his craftsmanship and dedication. Working alongside our production team, he improved his hands-on skills while successfully communicating with subcontractors and clients. Since Josh is no “newbie” to construction, our lead carpenters always felt comfortable leaving Josh alone on site to continue whatever task was on deck for the day. So comfy that Josh was later promoted to lead carpenter within a year of being hired. During this period, Josh took the reins on a particular project without a lead. While catching up to speed mid-project was challenging, Josh quickly adapted and hit the ground running. Ultimately, Josh executed the scope of work and subcontractor coordination flawlessly – bringing the project well under budget. Additionally, the clients were so fond of the team that they hired us for another project, requesting Josh to lead the future job.

Aside from budgetary successes, Josh is also a star performer in and out of the field. Our purpose is to go Beyond the Build, which Josh emulates perfectly. While onsite at a project, Josh respects each client’s investment and treats the property as his own. If a client is unhappy with a particular detail, Josh will go above and beyond to ensure the client ends the day happier. Additionally, he holds our subs accountable while remaining diplomatic with his communication and direction. Lastly, he is a champion in teaching the younger, greener carpenters by offering sound advice and tips to improve their skills and better understand proper building practices.

We are so lucky and thankful to have Josh, a skilled, personable, and dynamic leader, on our team. We cannot wait to see how he will continue to grow and mold the next generation of carpenters.

In addition to Josh’s achievement, the Federalist Remodel also won two Gold Awards for Best Bathroom Remodel (Between $75,000 and $150,000) and Best Kitchen Remodel (Between $150,000 and $300,000). This project took an outdated kitchen and bathroom lacking in functionality and turned it into an elevated, European-inspired oasis.

The new kitchen is the perfect marriage of beauty and function. As soon as you enter the room, you are greeted by the delicate yet elegant soapstone backsplash, a black Lacanche range, French Gray cabinets, and statement pendants. The room’s centerpiece is the 48 sq. ft. island with a Mont Blanc quartzite countertop and white oak cabinets built to fit their entire family of five.

Installing fully custom cabinets was a must for our clients. We incorporated cabinet inserts for all aspects of life: a pull-out cleaning supply cabinet with built-in outlets, a two-tiered utensil drawer next to the range, a spice rack drawer, and an appliance garage. Other features like the pot filler, workstation sink, and recessed under-shelf lighting help make daily chores a breeze.

Upstairs, we maintained the original floor plan of the primary bathroom but updated the layout for optimal flow with a contemporary, aesthetically pleasing design. As you walk into the space, your eyes are instantly drawn to the designer French bateau blue clawfoot tub, the room’s centerpiece. A large walk-in shower with a waterfall quartz bench was installed at the opposite end of the room. The new location allowed us to increase the size of their shower space, making the experience much more enjoyable. The outdated built-in vanity with a green marble countertop was replaced with a double white oak vanity that’s both modern and classic looking. The checkered marble floor and high-end Morris & Co. wallpaper above the decorative tile wainscoting elevate the room and perfectly reflect our clients’ desired aesthetic.

To bring the bathroom further into the 20th century, an intelligent toilet with an integrated bidet and radiant heat flooring was installed to combat those cold New England winters.

Lastly, our Client Leave Behind won the Gold Award for Best Print Brochure. After recently rebranding the company, we needed fresh marketing collateral. Most importantly, we wanted a tangible piece of marketing geared towards our clients. This leave-behind brochure aimed to educate potential clients on who we are, define how we work, and provide samples of our previous builds.

We designed the booklet to take you on a journey. It starts by sharing who we are and what we stand for. Attracting clients with similar ideals helps ensure we’re the right fit and paves the way for a smooth working relationship. A brief company history follows this section to reiterate further our values and what we stand for as well as a few pages to educate the reader on our design-build process and what you can expect when working with us.

It was also critical to share our previous work with prospective clients. We added a case study of one of our whole-home remodels to demonstrate how we work with clients to solve their home concerns and create something they’ll love for generations as well as a few of our favorite before-and-after transformations.

Kelsy Stromski, Creative Director of Favor the Brave – our brand designer and visionary – developed the design and copy of the leave-behind to match our new identity. Clean lines and minimalism are paramount throughout the booklet. All photography used (excluding the before photos) is from the same photographer, Freebird Photography, and all finished project photography is from the same remodel to keep a consistent look throughout the booklet. The leave-behind brochure reflects our builds and values and sets the stage for clients’ expectations when working with us.

The PRISM Awards recognize the finest projects and outstanding achievements of professionals in the home building industry. Winning a coveted PRISM Award is a sign of excellence in your field and recognition of superior achievement. We are honored to be recognized as some of the best work in Massachusetts, and are ecstatic to have Josh named as the Rising Star of the Year. On behalf of the entire BLB Design / Build team, we thank everyone for their continued support.