Cheng Concrete reveals 2011 Circle of Distinction Design Challenge winners

Fu-Tung Cheng announced the 2011 winners of Cheng Concrete’s annual Circle of Distinction Design Challenge at the 2011 Concrete Decor Show & Spring Training in Nashville, Tenn. Dania Andrade Pelayo, of Ancuba, based in Rosarito, Mexico, won Best in Show for her Paella Esquer kitchen pieces (above).

Judges of the 2011 contest were Cheng, Dan Gregory, editor in chief of Houseplans.com, and designer Robert Brunner, former director of industrial design for Apple Computer. They evaluated 97 entries and awarded a Best in Show, plus Best ofs and Honorable Mentions in 11 categories. Two Presidents’ Award winners were selected by Cheng Concrete co-presidents Mike Heidebrink and Annalyn Chargualaf-Peluso.

Throughout the presentation, Cheng emphasized the importance of great photography and placement in attractive real-world surroundings, noting that both can positively influence contest judges. “When you enter our competition, try to do the best photography you can, the best lighting and the best setting,” he said. “It really makes a difference. Some of these entries, it looked like the dog took the photo with one of those little throwaway digital cameras, and we had to really look for the design. So make it easier on us — you will rise up in the ranks if you get good photography.”

Here are the winners, with more commentary from Cheng.

Best of Show

Dania Andrade Pelayo, Ancuba, Rosarito, Mexico, Paella Esquer kitchen pieces. “You could really have fun eating paella and sitting around the bar. The (imprinted) hands are the hands of the owners’ kids. – Fu-Tung Cheng

Presidents’ Award

Caio Paagman, Concrete Gallery Design, Invermere, B.C., Star integral sink

Yves St. Hilaire, Sticks + Stones Furniture, Squamish, B.C., fire bowl

New Members

Best in Category: Don Welsh, eleven39 design, Leucadia, Calif., Hygeia bench

Honorable Mentions: Aaron Harold, Tennessee Concrete Countertops & Designs LLC, Knoxville, Tenn., kitchen with seven concrete tops; Jason Sawyers, Sawyer’s Concrete, Salem, Ore., tub surround; Jake West, Topheavy Concrete, Truckee, Calif., Will’s bath project

Bath

Best in Category: Phillip Markham, Concrete Clarity, North Nowra, Australia, Brewer bathroom

Honorable Mentions: Eric Pottle, Surface Works, Peoria, Ariz., stone ProFormula Geocrete-finish vanity top and legs (“Kofron”); Ian Wyndlow, Liquid Stone Studios, Ladysmith, B.C., powder-room pedestal

Commercial or Retail Application

Best in Category: David Jefferson, Decking Around Inc., Napa, Calif., billiard picnic table. “This is complete trompe l’oeil, a sculptural trompe l’oeil, if you will. It’s a replica of a billiard table in concrete. The corner pockets are actually cup holders. Most of my work is very modernist and Robert Brunner is an Apple designer. This isn’t our cup of tea, so to speak. But we were so taken by how well he did this that we couldn’t help but give it a Best in this category. It was a refreshing entry.” – Fu-Tung Cheng

Honorable Mentions: Darren Endo, The Ranch Design Group, Concord, Calif., The Little Chihuahua restaurant; Jeff Kudrick, JM Lifestyles LLC, Randolph, N.J., Hashi Restaurant, New York; Phillip Markham, Concrete Clarity, North Nowra, Australia, The Corner House bar

Decorative Finish

Best in Category: Scott Grote, Grote Construction, Monton, Pa., “Crackle” texture. “It’s alligator skin. We couldn’t figure out how they made this.” – Fu-Tung Cheng

Honorable Mentions: John Jarvis, Carve Surfaceworks, Carolina Beach, N.C., Shell Island sedimentary wall; Brian Sieffert, Concrete Zen, Pittsburgh, Pa., kitchen countertop that matches painting

Fireplace

Best in Category: Yves St. Hilaire, Sticks + Stones Furniture, Squamish, B.C., wrap-around fireplace. “The proportions are really beautiful on this. And it doesn’t hurt that he has good lighting and pretty good photography, nice styling with the bucket and the wood. You know, judges are influenced by that kind of stuff.” – Fu-Tung Cheng

Honorable Mentions: Daryn Barnes and Chris Frazer, DC Custom Concrete, San Diego, Calif., precast board finish fireplace; Gabriela Sanchez-Vegas, Concreative 4, Miami, Fla., contemporary fireplace art piece with stainless steel

Furniture

Best in Category:John Newbold, Newbold Stone, Austin, Texas, two-tone coffee table. “If he had put this in a better context instead of just his shop floor, he probably would have won another category too, on top of this one. We were considering this for Best of Show. He didn’t bother putting it in a setting.” –Fu-Tung Cheng

Honorable Mentions:Caio Paagman, Concrete Gallery Design, Invermere, B.C., organic table with wood and olive neo-wet mix; Giuseppe Palombo, Duckspit Studios, Sausalito, Calif., concrete table top with steel base; Yves St. Hilaire, Sticks + Stones Furniture, Squamish, B.C., curved bench; Yves St. Hilaire, Sticks + Stones Furniture, Squamish, B.C., two-drawer coffee table

Integral Sink

Best in Category: Brian Sieffert, Concrete Zen, Pittsburgh, Pa., Platinum powder-room sink

Honorable Mentions: Daryn Barnes and Chris Frazer, DC Custom Concrete, San Diego, Calif., Organic Erosion spa sink; Caio Paagman, Concrete Gallery Design, Invermere, B.C., Star integral sink; Eric Pottle, Surface Works, Peoria, Ariz., GFRC vanity with inlaid stones (“Butcher”)

Interior Kitchen

Best in Category: Jeff Kudrick, JM Lifestyles, Randolph, N.J., Worth kitchen. “We looked at the concrete and we saw how challenging it was that he did all these in one pour, like one piece. They weren’t made up of blocks and pieces.” – Fu-Tung Cheng

Honorable Mentions: Yves St. Hilaire, Sticks + Stones Furniture, Squamish, B.C., Eastmont Drive, West Vancouver, project; Yves St. Hilaire, Sticks + Stones Furniture, Squamish, B.C., Vancouver kitchen; Yves St. Hilaire, Sticks + Stones Furniture, Squamish, B.C., Whistler kitchen

Outdoor Living

Best in Category: Gary Day, Concrete and Clay, Pasadena, Calif., outdoor sculptural wall. “I thought it worked really well as a colorful piece in a garden” – Fu-Tung Cheng

Honorable Mention: Daniel Thiboutot, Rock ‘n Concrete, Saint-Sauveur, Quebec, Roxanne’s (Sainte-Rose, Quebec)

Sculpture

Best in Category: John Newbold, Newbold Stone, Austin, Texas, birdhouse. “Next year he won’t win unless there’s a bird actually (in the picture). I don’t know if birds like modernism.” – Fu-Tung Cheng

Honorable Mentions: Giuseppe Palombo, Duckspit Studios, Sausalito, Calif., “Little Bird Told Me” concrete bust; Yves St. Hilaire, Sticks + Stones Furniture, Squamish, B.C., fire bowl

Water Feature

Best in Category: Darren Endo/Leah Sheely, The Ranch Design Group, Concord, Calif., outdoor poured-in-place fountain. “It was quite elaborate, with inlays of mosaic tile and different pools at different levels.” – Fu-Tung Cheng

Honorable Mention: Daryn Barnes and Chris Frazer, DC Custom Concrete, San Diego, Calif., cascading rock and concrete wall with planter