Northshore Home Magazine, Fall 2023

Qualified Remodeler’s 45th annual Master Design Awards highlight thoughtful solutions in creating exceptional projects. After collecting hundreds of submissions from across the country, six judges were invited to the University Club in Chicago for two days to review the entries and, ultimately, select the winners of the gold, silver, bronze—and sometimes honorable mention—awards within each group (each category has just one gold winner).

The Joppa Flats Front Porch Addition won the Gold Award in the Outdoor Living (deck/porch/sunroom) category. Before, the façade of this water-front property featured a simple front landing with a small roof supported by two decorative columns. Our clients wanted to increase their outdoor entertainment space and upgrade their curb appeal. We teamed up with Latady Design to develop a 500+ square foot front porch to meet both desires. We carried the front porch along the entire length of the facade so there was enough space on either side of the steps to sit and enjoy the view of Joppa Flats. We added several details to achieve the “wow” factor, including a barrel roof at the center with two hip roofs on either side and six 8′ tall Roman tapered columns at the deck corners to support the roofs.

The Modern Kitchen also won the Bronze Award in the Kitchen over $150,000 category. After moving from Boston to Newburyport, our clients longed for the former contemporary spaces they left behind and wanted to incorporate the high-end city aesthetic into their new kitchen. To create the kitchen of their dreams, we expanded and relocated it to provide a more extensive, high-end, chef-inspired environment with clean lines and angles to match the sleek, modern design they sought. We also installed new windows and a floor-to-ceiling contemporary double-outswing door to help bring in more natural light and brighten the space.

“Of the hundreds of entries received this year across the country, we are honored to win not only one but two Master Design Awards. It’s a privilege to rank alongside such talented builders and designers. Thank you to all the subcontractors, vendors, and team members for their outstanding work and for making these two projects come to life. They wouldn’t be winners without you all!”

– Benjamin Becker, Owner + Chief Visionary

In addition to these accolades, BLB Design / Build was voted the Best Design / Build firm on the North Shore for the second year in a row by the editors of Northshore Home Magazine and the Best Wine Cellar Designer by its readers. We are honored to accept these two awards and appreciate the continued support from our North Shore community!

2023 marks the eighth year Northshore Home Magazine presents the Best of the North Shore (BONS) Home Awards, celebrating all things hearth and home. In association with the BONS Awards, the BONS Home Awards highlights Editors’ and Readers’ Choice for the best architect, builder, interior designer, landscape service, fabric shop, antiques, auction house, and more. Since its conception, the awards have become a coveted recognition for business owners and their teams in the community, per Nancy Berry, editor of the magazine.

As an eight-time winner of the BONS Home Awards and two-time winner of the Best Design / Build award, BLB graciously welcomes these two additional accolades to the collection. We thank our community for recognizing our exceptional craftsmanship and commitment to our clients by voting us in the winning categories. Additionally, we would like to acknowledge our outstanding team members, dedicated subcontractors, and local vendors for our continued success. Here’s to another year of exceptional work!