2nd Annual Avenue Design Challenge Results

Al Black, winner of the 2nd annual Avenue design challenge

The votes are in, and the winner of Avenue‘s 2014 Design Challenge is Al Black, owner of Above the Bank Interiors and president of Christopher Clayton Furniture & Design House.

“I would like to congratulate the other contestants for creating such beautiful rooms,” Black says. “Thanks also to all those who voted.”

The Design Challenge ran in Avenue‘s February issue. It featured Black and fellow local interior designers Chantal Ross and Brie Stachniak.

“Trends come and go, but good design endures and is timeless,” says Black of his winning design. “My room features classic mid-century items, infused with history and whimsy. I wanted to use bronze and brass as one of the elements, as it is such a popular component today. The cool tone bedding sets a mood of calm sophistication, and the colourful artwork adds lots of punch!”

Black also mentioned that he tried to balance the feminine and masculine elements of the room, noting that many designers focus too much on feminine trends. His look featured a prominent royal blue overtone with brass and bronze accents, which gave the room a warm, masculine feel.

Black has owned Above the Bank Interiors for more than 20 years. He has a vast reserve of knowledge and experience, and he’s always managed to stay on top of current trends – traits that landed him the top spot in our second annual design challenge.

“The end result is a great room to be proud of and a great place to start and end one’s day.”

Readers’ choice Design Challenge

It’s not a challenge without the competition.

• Rustic elements give Brie Stachniak‘s room an inviting feel. She wanted her room to mix the masculine and the feminine, to have “sexual tension.”
• Chantal Ross wanted her room to have the feeling of a country inn, with warm colours and an emphasis on creature comforts. But her work is modernized with clean lines.
• Al Black‘s mid-century modern look is accented by brass. His work features a lot of black and white, which allows for any accent colours to stand out.

Three different looks from three different designers. Now, the question: Which one do you, the Avenue reader, prefer?

All three spaces have different things to offer. We understand that personal taste plays into these things. That’s why, when designing your own space, you should always communicate with your designer. But, this contest presents a rare case where the designers are given blank slates without any client demands. Because Avenue didn’t have any of those unique client demands, the designers had cartes blanches, which made for rooms unique to the designers’ tastes.