Boca Raton 'House of the Year' captures seven additional 2010 CASF Craftsmanship Awards

WILTON MANORS, FL October 31, 2010 (Press-News.org) When high-profile clients of interior designer Louis Shuster approached him to raze an existing home in a private country club community in Boca Raton, then redesign and construct an 18,000-square-foot estate residence in its place, he gathered who he considers to be the best talent in South Florida. The team's efforts not only pleased the discerning home owners, but also resulted in the home being selected as 2010 House of the Year by the Construction Association of South Florida. In addition to that honor, craftsmen in seven categories won an individual Craftsmanship Award for outstanding workmanship from the industry organization.

The House of the Year award reflects the Best Overall Craftsmanship on a Residential Project, according to the very happy Steve Paskoski, president of Paskoski Construction, who nominated the residence and subcontractors who won along with him.

Shuster, a 30-year design veteran and president of Shuster Design Associates, had called in Colestock & Muir as the architects for the project, Paskoski Construction as the general contractor, and Krent Weiland Design for the landscape architecture, outdoor lighting and swimming pool design. "Even after the home was completed, I still refer to them as 'The Dream Team,'" Shuster remarked. "This was a monumental and very exciting collaborative undertaking for all of us. We were particularly challenged when the clients wanted the home ready before the two years we had told them it would take to finish it. Nevertheless, we all rose to the occasion. It took only 17 months from the time the first form was placed for the slab until final completion."

"In our industry, that timeframe is unheard-of for a home of that size, and it certainly is a testament to everyone involved with this project that we finished it ahead of schedule," Paskoski pointed out. "The job site was very clean and well organized, which inspired good craftsmanship by the subs. There was amazing team work and no conflicts. Everyone wanted to give the best they could for the clients, who are very special people."

The award-winning estate home features a porte-cochere entrance, six bedrooms, seven full and three half baths, two fitness centers, a home theatre, home office, secondary (kosher) kitchenette, arts and crafts room, staff apartment, and large loggia with an indoor-outdoor bar, fireplace and outdoor kitchen. The entire second floor is dedicated to visiting family members, with the exception of a reading library accessible from the downstairs home office via a spiral staircase and pneumatic elevator. Upstairs areas include a playroom, one "VIP" guest suite, separate "dormitories" for girl and boy grandchildren, large terrace overlooking the swimming pool and lakefront island gazebo, and more.

This was the ninth residence Shuster had been commissioned to do for these clients. "I earned their confidence and trust when I furnished their first home 25 years ago, and they haven't made a move without me since then. This, however, was the first time they looked to me to assemble an entire team to design and build from the ground up. When the couple first entered their completed home, they couldn't have been more delighted. That's what makes what we do so worthwhile."

Shuster Design Associates created a transitional and eclectic setting for the interiors. "In spite of having a lot of volume, the home feels warm and welcoming. Its extraordinary craftsmanship and attention to detail is evident, including the repetitive elements of rounded shapes, stained glass and uplit onyx throughout. There is also an abundance of landscaping surrounding the home in response to the clients' penchant for privacy," Shuster added.

Categories and recipients of the individual CASF Craftsmanship Awards for this home are: Metal Roofing (for the copper turrets) - Vincent Thifault of Carpenter's Roofing & Sheet Metal; Entry Doors - Tony Perez of Coastal Millwork; Drywall Framing - Andras Illanez of PowerTech Interiors; Drywall Finishing - Rosival Sobrinho of PowerTech Interiors; Wood Flooring - Leo Alvarez of Designer's Choice in Floors; Swimming Pool Fountain - Joseph Testa of ES Unlimited; and Low-Voltage Distribution (in the home's "brain room") - Matthew Ray of Definitive Electronics.

For further information, contact Shuster Design Associates, (954) 462-6400, www.shusterdesigncom; or Paskoski Construction, (954) 522-1258, http://www.paskoskiconstruction.com.