I’ll admit it, I was worried leading up to this year’s Best of Design contest.

After all, we spent most of last year trying to navigate our way through an unprecedented pandemic; adjusting to working from home, figuring out Zoom calls with coworkers and family and — in some cases — becoming de facto teachers. How, I wondered — with the months-long stay-at-home orders that lasted from March through June — would this affect this year’s design entries? Would we even get any submissions?

I should have known better. Pittsburgh, you never let me down.

For this year’s Best of Design contest, we were flooded with outstanding entries in categories that include Best New Home, Best Outdoor Space, Best New Kitchen, Best Renovated Kitchen, Best New Bathroom and Best Renovated Bathroom.

For Best Renovated Home, one of our most popular categories, judges had a tough time narrowing it down to just one favorite, which led them to split the category into two.

They decided to award Best Renovated Home Exterior to a stunning Mid-Century Modern home on the grounds of the W.L. Mellon Estate with a flawlessly executed second-story addition.

For Best Renovated Home Interior, they chose what eventually became known as The Edge Wood House, a gorgeous 1950s-era home in Fox Chapel that got two spacious new bedroom wings.

In the last HOME issue, I was excited to introduce you to a new feature. Rosa Colucci’s Hot Property — which also includes weekly online posts for the Nest newsletter — has taken off like gangbusters. For this issue, Rosa explains why you should totally invest in property in Hazelwood — like STAT.

Adding a magical element is Mark Houser’s story of a Tudor-style home in Mt. Lebanon adorned in heraldic imagery and other eccentric touches. The boy who lived there grew up to be a noted scientist and made a map of the galaxies. The otherworldly tale begins on page 68.

As a reminder, we’ll soon be accepting entries for the 2022 Best of Design Contest. So if you are building or renovating a home in 2021, take lots of pictures — and then send them in to me.

Jessica Sinichak, HOME Editor
jsinichak@pittsburghmagazine.com
412/304-0910