National ARDA Award Winner

2023 ARDA Award — Modern Contemporary Home

In 2023, Riverside Home Designs was again honored with the ARDA Trophy for Best Architectural Working Drawings at the American Residential Design Awards. This second national recognition was awarded for our Modern Contemporary Home, a stunning design featuring open concept living, large collapsible glass doors for indoor-outdoor connection, power-operated screens, and luxury finishes throughout.

This award-winning home demonstrates our expertise in modern contemporary design while maintaining the practical functionality Texas Hill Country homeowners demand. Features include a gourmet kitchen with walnut cabinetry, master bath with motion-activated toe kick lighting, screened pool and patio with panoramic Hill Country views, and a private putting green.

Winning this prestigious award twice places Riverside Home Designs among an elite group of residential design firms nationwide. View the complete 2023 Award-Winning Project Gallery →

2017 GRAND ARDA Award — The Medina Ranch Project

The American Institute of Building Design (AIBD) named Riverside Home Designs and Drafting Services as one of its top designers in the American Residential Design Awards (ARDA). James Kenalty_{AIBD, CPBD} of Riverside Home Designs was awarded the Grand ARDA trophy in the Working Drawings category, selected from finished and proposed projects submitted by design firms across the United States. View the complete award-winning plan set →

The Winning Project

The winning project was constructed in nearby Medina, Texas. It was a finished architectural drawing for a large Texas ranch home.

"One of the initial ideas our client had was to design a rather large home that looked as though it had been there for a century or more," Kenalty said. "The idea we had was to make it look as though the home had been added onto many times throughout the years."

An old barn was brought in from Pennsylvania by the owners and it formed the great room, which would become the centerpiece of the project. The home features a large old barn that was originally built sometime in the 1870s in Pennsylvania. It had large 10" x 12" timbers that were very rustic, truly old, very dry, and very warped.

"This is exactly what we needed for this project. We used the rough timber in the great room as the centerpiece for the entire project; everything else was designed around the great room. We made it look as if the barn had been added onto over two centuries."

The selection of exterior finish materials was especially important for this project. A combination of vertical board and batten, horizontal siding, stucco, stone, and split log siding was used to give the appearance it had been done at various times through history.

The project features several large wrap-around porches. Extra care was taken in the orientation of this home on the property so that the owners could enjoy morning coffee and lazy afternoons without the sun interfering with their pleasures on the large porches. It also has a beautiful infinity tub adjoining the Master Suite with a room full of rain heads to simulate showering in the rain.

"Once the project was completed, it looked as though it had been there for a hundred years! Just as we initially envisioned it to be. The owners loved the idea, and love the finished home even more."

About the Designer

The Principal at Riverside Home Designs, James Kenalty, BBA, AIBD, NCBDC, is the primary designer and client contact for the firm. His personal approach to design stresses constant communication and teamwork between the design team, the builders, and the clients, from concept to completion. With over 40 years of experience serving the Texas Hill Country, Kenalty holds both AIBD Professional Member and NCBDC Certified Professional Building Designer credentials.

"Although our designs are as unique as the clients who helped inspire them, each one evokes a compelling sense of place, style and comfort, making them highly livable and timeless."

Using sustainable materials and building practices with today's advanced technology, Riverside Home Designs creates traditional and contemporary custom home designs that meet current energy efficiency expectations while maintaining style, comfort and beauty for clients in Kerrville, Fredericksburg, Boerne, and throughout the Texas Hill Country. Our designs meet Energy Star standards, which means superior energy efficiency, lower utility bills, and reduced environmental impact.

About ARDA

The American Residential Design Awards (ARDA) is a progression of the AIBD Annual Design Competition, which has been in existence for more than 65 years. Each year, a distinguished jury of architects, designers, and builders evaluates entries from residential design firms across the United States, selecting winners who demonstrate exceptional skill in architectural design and construction documentation.

The American Institute of Building Design is a nationally recognized organization dedicated to supporting and promoting residential design professionals. Its members have specialized knowledge and expertise in residential design and are held to a high level of professionalism and ethics in their business practices. You can trust an AIBD member to bring a combination of talent and practical value to your project.

The winning ARDA entries are also published at www.residentialdesignawards.com.