Best in Show

Crisp tuxedos commingle with flowing dresses and sparkling accessories. Cocktails clink and murmurs of conversation fill the room. It’s buzzing with excitement at the soirée of the season: The Philip T. Shutze Awards. Held at the swanky Piedmont Driving Club in September, nearly 300 architects, designers, landscape architects and other industry professionals gathered to celebrate the winners of the region’s most esteemed accolade named after Atlanta’s most famous architect. Awarded to those exhibiting excellence in classical and traditional design, each entry was anonymously and intensely judged by this year’s jurors architect Elizabeth Graziolo, interior designer Shawn Henderson and landscape architect Keith Williams. Designer Madeline Stuart hosted the evening, where medals of honor were given to each winner during a delectable seated dinner, Historical Concepts founder Jim Strickland was honored with the 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award and true classicism was recognized and celebrated. Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles was in attendance and is thrilled to share the award-winning projects with you.

Residential Architecture over 8,000 square feet

D. Stanley Dixon, D. Stanley Dixon Architect
Riverfront Revival, John’s Island, South Carolina

What the Jurors Say: “This project has everything—light, texture, scale, proportion, movement. The details are incredible inside and out, and it has a wonderful moment of classical tradition that moves from the plans to the execution.”
Words from the Winner: “I’m honored to receive this award for a house so special to our firm. This majestic Greek Revival home sits amongst its storied landscape as if it has been there for generations—a true testament to our goal.”

Residential Interior Design 4,000–8,000 square feet

Ashley Gilbreath, Ashley Gilbreath Interior Design
Gracious Lakeside Simplicity, Lake Martin, Alabama

What the Jurors Say: “This home shows a nice relationship between the architecture and the interior design. It feels balanced, connected, warm and welcoming.”
Words from the Winner: “What an honor to be included amongst such a talented group of designers and architects. This project shines because of the incredible team—Chris Tippett of TSB Architecture, TCC Contractors, Sarah Stewart Consulting, Emily Followill Photography, and of course, the Ashley Gilbreath Interior Design team and wonderful homeowners.”

Residential Renovation over 5,000 square feet

Norman Askins, Norman Davenport Askins Architect
Generational Atlanta Residence, Atlanta, Georgia

What the Jurors Say: “The presentation showed what was left of the bones and what was born after. It told a beautiful story of the transformation of the home, and the execution of the details was tremendous.”
Words from the Winner: “For me, winning a Shutze Award is always validation that we are doing something right.”

Residential Interior Design over 8,000 square feet

Tammy Connor, Tammy Connor Interior Design
Family Residence in the Lowcountry, John’s Island, South Carolina

What the Jurors Say: “This project feels personal and unexpected. The color combinations and the choices of materials on the furniture are all interesting, and there is a layer of warmth in the details that makes it feel very inviting.”
Words from the Winner: “The Lowcountry has always been a beloved place for me and it was such a pleasure to work with a charming young family to create this house with interiors that echo the magical, natural setting of the surrounding marshes and ponds. Every single room is layered with antiques, art and vintage pieces so that the spaces have soul and also function well for daily family life.”

Residential Renovation 2,500–5,000 square feet

Andrew Cogar, David VanGroningen, Connor Bingham, Historical Concepts
Refreshed Classical Revival, Atlanta, Georgia

What the Jurors Say: “The transformation made by relocating the stair and the integration of the new addition feels very cohesive with the existing house, creating a great flow of the spaces.”
Words from the Winner: “Winning this award on the night we gathered to honor our founder, Jim Strickland, is a real honor. True to Jim’s spirit, this project is a testament to a perfect collaboration—from the homeowners, who were committed to transforming their classic home without sacrificing its charm, to the visionary Jackye Lanham whose eye for beauty pulls everything together, and to the construction team at Garrett & Ingols who made it all a reality.”

Residential Interior Design under 4,000 square feet

Melanie Millner, The Design Atelier
Horse Farm Retreat, Roswell, Georgia

What the Jurors Say: “I love everything about this project. It features a beautiful palette, a great mix of interesting furniture and feels very well-thought out.”
Words from the Winner: “From the architect’s first sketch to the last clean out by the contractor, everyone involved with this project played a significant role to make it successful. The interior was just the final layer to the beautiful canvas.”

Residential Architecture 4,000–8,000 square feet

Mark Pledger, Pledger Architect, PLLC
A New Residence, Birmingham, Alabama

What the Jurors Say: “The strength in this project is in its execution and all the special details that are so thoughtfully designed—the swooping roofline, the transitions of paneling to the rustic ceiling and the beautiful plan.”
Words from the Winner: “Inspired by the city’s rich history of 1920s Garden Suburbs, and with a nod to the owner’s decade of residency in eastern Pennsylvania, this painted white stone and shingled house lives like a series of connected cottages.”

Residential Interior Design – Single room

Suzanne Kasler, Suzanne Kasler Interiors
The Salon, Atlanta, Georgia

What the Jurors Say: “The designer was able to accomplish a lot in terms of the program and the layout of the furniture in the space. The design is a very elegant combination of furniture pieces, materials and colors.”
Words from the Winner: “I’ve always believed it’s important to do showhouse rooms whenever you can because they dare a designer to extend their creativity in new directions. They give us a chance to push the envelope and try things we’ve never tried before. What an honor to have our Flower Magazine showhouse salon recognized for this esteemed award—a space where we did exactly that.”

Residential Landscape over one acre

Stephen W. Hackney, Stephen W. Hackney Landscape Architecture
Sherwood Estate, Knoxville, Tennessee

What the Jurors Say: “The formality of the gardens versus the organic nature of the woods in the background is a perfect contrast. You can just see this aging so beautifully.”
Words from the Winner: “We are humbled to have been selected for a Shutze Award by our peers whose work we deeply admire. In all our projects, we strive to breathe life into our clients’ vision and provide them with bespoke settings to call home.We are ecstatic to continue expanding SWH’s presence in Atlanta and look forward to continued collaborations with the Atlanta design community.”

Interior Design – Commercial

Kelly Harris, Harris Interiors
Houston Country Club, Houston, Texas

What the Jurors Say: “It’s so interesting the different experiences the designer created throughout. Harris did an amazing job infusing a residential feel in a commercial space.”
Words from the Winner: “Our goal was to make the renovations feel seamless by preserving the architectural integrity that existed in many of the original rooms, and use it to inform details in the new spaces. We celebrated the good, got rid of the ugly and created even better interiors. I am so proud of our team’s work at Houston Country Club.”

Architecture – Multifamily

David Grace, A Classical Studio
The J.J. Corry, Savannah, Georgia

What the Jurors Say: “The combination of materials lean into the industrial with features, like the interior stairs and railings, referencing the factory that it was before. It’s beautifully done.”
Words from the Winner: “I would like to thank Patrick Malloy at PMC Communities for his vision and faith in us, as well as everyone at our firm who worked on this project. We lost ourselves in the study of historic precedent, paying special attention to how these old warehouses had been modified and adapted over time, then we created a fictional history for our building.”

Student/Emerging Professional

Patrick Beck, www.janescourt.com
Janes Court, Davidson, North Carolina

What the Jurors Say: “For this student to be able to understand the context and be able to plan in relationship with the streetscape was so well done. The sketches are incredible.”
Words from the Winner: “It’s an honor to be recognized with this award. This graduate thesis project is an exploration of mixed-use and residential infill on an existing, underutilized site. The project uses appropriately scaled, dense housing to shape vibrant garden spaces and restore a walkable, pedestrian-friendly public realm.”