Beauty by Design

Collier county's builders and interior designers never fail to impress Bill Strawm, a Virginia-based building designer who has judged the Collier Building Industry Association's Sand Dollar Awards for the past four years. "The Naples market is always distinguished and detail-driven and on the cutting edge for the discriminating luxury homeowner," he says.

Strawm, who judges as many as six home shows per year, notices "more variation in the architecture than there has been in the past. It's not all Mediterranean," he says. "I didn't see as many showers with multiple heads or separate media rooms and home theaters."

Debra Emmons, a Sarasota" target="_blank">Charlotte County remodeling consultant, says an office/trophy room addition in one home "blew everyone's socks off. It was really well done and the quality of the workmanship was phenomenal."

Here, we bring you the winners of this year's Sand Dollar Awards, Aurora Awards, Homes Overseas Awards and Pinnacle Awards from homes and communities throughout Southwest Florida.

Builders, architects, developers and interior designers in Southwest Florida annually compete for bragging rights. Here is a guide to the awards they've won.

Aurora Awards and Grand Awards, dubbed "The Oscars of Homebuilding," are presented by the Southeast Building Conference, a consortium of 12 southeastern states. Auroras are given to all projects that score above a certain threshold. A Grand Aurora goes to the best-and highest point recipient-in each category.

Homes Overseas Awards, presented by Homes Overseas magazine and the London Telegraph, is a three-year-old awards program that recognizes the best homes in areas where Britons are likely to buy.

Pinnacle Awards are presented by the Lee Building Industry Association, a local trade organization. Merit Awards are given at the judges' discretion to second-place entries.

Sand Dollar Awards are given by Collier's version, the Collier Building Industry Association. Grand Awards are presented to winners that earn perfect scores.

ARCHITECTS, BUILDERS, DEVELOPERS

Armenia Group

Pinnacle: Riva Del Lago penthouse 101, multifamily interior design, $650,000-$800,000; Riva Del Lago 203 North, multifamily interior design,

$1.5 million-$2 million.

Arthur Rutenberg Homes by Lyons Housing

Pinnacle: The Catalina VI, single-family product design,

$2 million-$2.7 million.

Bateman Communities of Southwest Florida

Aurora: The Milano at San Marino in Miromar Lakes, multi family home over $500,001.

Sand Dollar: The Roma, multi?family product design under $1 million.

Boran Craig Barber Homes

Sand Dollar: private residence, multifamily product design over $1 million.

Builders Integrity Group

Sand Dollar: Roth residence, best master suite, single-family under $4 million.

Centex Homes

Pinnacle: The Providence, single-family product design, $650,000-$800,000; The Lancaster, multifamily product design, $500,000-$600,000; Centex Homes Showroom, best design center.

Merit Award: The Amherst, single-family product design, $500,000-$650,000.

Cornerstone Developers

Merit Award: The San Raphael, single-family product design over $3.5 million.

Damon Custom Structures

Pinnacle: Private residence in Barefoot Bay, single-family product design, $1.5 million-$2 million; private residence at Barefoot Beach, single-family product design, $2.7 million-$3.5 million.

Merit Awards: Private residence on Hickory Boulevard, single-family product design, $2 million-$2.7 million; private residence at Eden on the Bay, single-family product design, $800,000-$1 million.

Sand Dollar: Private residence, single-family product design, $700,001-$900,000; private residence, Gulf access/one-of-a-kind home product design.

David Weekley Homes

Pinnacle: The Taraval at Sandoval, single-family product design, $400,000-$500,000.

Frey & Son Homes

Sand Dollar: private residence, best media room/custom home theater.

Fugleberg Koch Architects

Aurora: Alta Mar, rental apartment community, density of 15 or more units per acre.

Gates McVey

Sand Dollar: The Gates residence, single-family product design, $3,500,001-$6 million; best kitchen, best master suite, over $5,000,001; best outdoor living area, single-family home.

Grand Award: perfect score for product design.

Gordon River Homes

Sand Dollar: River House I, unfurnished spec home product design.

Gulfstream Homes

Aurora: The Fernandina, interior detailing, $500,001-$1 million.

Pinnacle: Judges' Award for exemplary corporate philosophy.

Harwick Homes

Aurora: The Rocca, single-family home over $3,000,001; The Vicchio, single-family home over $3,000,001.

Sand Dollar: The Rocca, single-family product design over $6,000,001.

Landmark Development Group

Sand Dollar: The Villa Brecia, single-family product design, $1,750,001-$2.5 million; Talavera model, single-family product design, $2,500,001-$3.5 million.

London Bay Homes

Homes Overseas Gold Award: The Asti in Lucarno in Mediterra, best Floridian home.

The Lutgert Co.

Pinnacle: Estancia penthouse 402 at Bonita Bay, multifamily product design, $2.7 million-$3.5 million.

Marvin Development Corp.

Aurora at large: Custom Cypress Key in Cape Coral, best energy-efficient home.

PGI Homes

Pinnacle: The Kingsbury, single-family interior design,

$1 million-$1.5 million.

Rokela Development

Sand Dollar: private residence, single-family product design, $900,001-$1,250,000.

Sater Design Group

Aurora: Porto Velho, single-family product design, $2,000,001-$3 million; Cordillera, custom one-of-a-kind home over $3,000,001.

Seven Isles Development

Sand Dollar: The Amalfi, single-family product design over $6,000,001.

Sheeley Architects

Pinnacle: The Cayman, multi?family product design under $200,000; Riva Del Lago 03, multifamily product design, $300,000-$400,000; Riva Del Lago 01, multifamily product design, $400,000-$500,000; Riva Del Lago penthouse, multifamily product design,

$1.5 million-$1.9 million.

Stock Development

Pinnacle: The Sea Pines, single-family product design, $800,000-$1 million; development company of the year; News-Press Grand Award for Lely Resort Golf & Country Club.

Merit Award: Stock Construction Design Center, best design center.

Titan Custom Homes

Sand Dollar: Granada, single-family product design, $1,250,001-$1.75 million.

Toll Brothers

Sand Dollar: San Rio, single-family product design under $700,000.

WCI Communities

Aurora: Da Vinci at Tuscany Reserve, residential landscape/pool design.

Welch Custom Homes

Pinnacle: The Barcelona III Motorcourt, single-family product design, $1 million-$1.5 million.

COMMUNITIES

Emerson Square

Developer: Centex Homes

Merit Award: best sales center.

Grand?za

Developer: Stock

Development

Pinnacle: community of the year, 101 to 500 acres.

Lely Resort Golf & Country Club

Developer: Stock

Development

Aurora: residential development over 501 acres; The Players Club & Spa, recreational facility/special amenity.

Sand Dollar: The Players Club & Spa, best clubhouse, community with average home prices under $750,000.

Expressions in Design

Sand Dollar: The Players Club & Spa at Lely Resort, best clubhouse, community with average home prices under $750,000.

Miromar Lakes

Beach & Golf Club

Developer: Miromar Development Corp.

Pinnacle: The Golf Club House, best single-family clubhouse.

Sand Dollar: Miromar Lakes Beach & Golf Club, community of the year, over 500 acres; Miromar Lakes Golf Club, best clubhouse, community with average home prices over $750,000.

Riva Del Lago

Developer: Armenia Group

Pinnacle: best multifamily clubhouse, multifamily community of the year, under 50 acres.

The Quarry

Developer: Centex Homes

Pinnacle: best sales center.

Verandah

Developer: The Bonita Bay Group

Aurora: The River House, special amenity facility.

Veridian

Developer: Gulfstream Homes

Pinnacle: Single-family community of the year, under 50 acres.

West Bay Club

Developer: West Bay Club Development, Indian Hill Partners

Pinnacle: community of the year, over 500 acres.

Merit Award: The Golf House, best single-family clubhouse.

INTERIOR DESIGNERS

Alexandra Austriacu

Interior Design

Sand Dollar: private residence, interior merchandising, single-family over $3.5 million.

Antonacci Design Group

Aurora: La Scala penthouse at The Colony Golf & Bay Club, interior merchandising, over $3,000,001.

Beasley & Henley

Interior Design

Sand Dollar: Estancia 402, interior merchandising, multifamily $2,500,001-$3.5 million.

Collins & DuPont Interiors

Aurora: Ryan residence, interior merchandising, rental apartment or condominium; Villa Cascasa, interior merchandising, $1,000,001-$1.5 million; The Rocca, interior merchandising, over $3,000,001.

Cornerstone Developers

Merit Award: The San Raphael, interior design, over $3.5 million.

Design Group West

Sand Dollar: The San Rio, interior merchandising, single-family under $750,000; private residence, interior merchandising, single-family $900,001-$1.25 million; private residence, interior merchandising, single-family $1,750,001-$2.5 million; Crystal, interior merchandising, multifamily under $750,000; The Toscana, interior merchandising, multifamily $1,750,001-$2.5 million.

Expressions in Design

Sand Dollar: The Players Club & Spa at Lely Resort, interior design/commercial project.

Ficarra Design Associates by Clara Alber

Sand Dollar: Sokoloff private residence, interior merchandising, single-family $750,001-$900,000.

Holland Salley

Interior Design

Homes Overseas Gold Award: private residence on Marco Island, best interior design.

Interiors by Steven G.

Grand Aurora/Aurora: private residence in Naples, best bath, $2,000,001-$3 million.

Interior Design Associates

Grand Aurora/Aurora: Veracruz at Cape Marco, interior merchandising, high-rise community amenity, interior detailing over $2,000,001.

Aurora: Veracruz at Cape Marco, landscape and pool design, residential high-rise.

Jinx McDonald Designs

Pinnacle: Villa Toscana 705, single-family interior design,

$2 million-$2.7 million.

Merit Award: The Sutera, multifamily interior design, $1.5 million-$2 million.

Kira Kr?mm

Interior Design

Sand Dollar: private residence, interior merchandising, single-family $1,250,001-$1.75 million.

Grand Award: perfect score, interior merchandising; Cap Ferrat penthouse, interior merchandising, multifamily over $3.5 million.

Landmark Design

Grand Aurora/Aurora: Villa Brescia, interior merchandising, over $3,000,001.

Sand Dollar: The Triana, best master suite, single-family $4,000,001 to $5 million.

May I Help You

Sand Dollar: Bellini, interior merchandising, multifamily $750,001-$1 million; Cogburn residence, interior merchandising, multifamily $1,000,001-$1.75 million.

Norris Furniture & Interiors

Grand Aurora/Aurora: Treviso 2004, interior merchandising, $1.5 million-$2 million.

Robb & Stucky Interiors

Pinnacle: The Marisol, interior design, $1.5 million-$2 million; The Villano IV, interior design, $2.7 million-$3.5 million.

Sand Dollar: Marina Cay, interior merchandising, single-family $2,500,001-$3.5 million.

Simonsen-Hickok Interiors

Aurora: Toscana in Tuscany Reserve, interior merchandising, $2,000,001-$3 million.

Vogue Interiors

Aurora: Avellino clubhouse, interior merchandising, recreational facility.

REMODELERS

Alpha Omega

Construction of Naples

Sand Dollar: private residence, best kitchen remodeling project.

Builders Integrity Group

Sand Dollar: Roth residence, condominium remodeling project, best bath remodeling project.

Holland Salley

Interior Design

Sand Dollar: private residence, best interior design firm remodeling project.

Palladino Custom Homes

Sand Dollar: private residence, best addition remodeling project.

Wm. J. Varian

Construction Co.

Sand Dollar: private residence, single-family remodeling project.