These Okanagan homes are national winners

Previously, Bill Frame had been shut out at the National Award for Housing Excellence.

But on May 7, Frame snapped that streak in spectacular fashion with three massive wins at the awards put on by the Canadian Home Builders' Association.

"I was surprised, especially when I ended up being the biggest winner of the year," said Frame, who owns and operates Kelowna-based Frame Custom Homes.

At the virtual ceremony, Frame picked up the design excellence award, which is considered the top prize.

Earlier in the evening, Frame was awarded best detached custom home over 5,000 square feet for 'Lakeside Haven' in Vernon and best detached custom home 4,001 to 5,000 square feet for 'The Overlook' in Kelowna.

Frame, of course, credits his home building prowess, but he also praises the vision of his clients and the Okanagan's forward-thinking design philosophy.

"The Okanagan tends to have a whole different mindset when it comes to custom homes," said Frame.

"Custom homes tend to be expensive, but you can't just pump money into something and have it be a winner. It has to do with good construction and design, working with the client to give the home personality and incorporating Okanagan architecture, that modern approach that lets in lots of natural light and capitalizes on expansive views."

For instance, 'Lakeside Haven' is a $3-million, stately beach house on Okanagan Lake in Vernon that was built around the showpiece outdoor spaces, which include outdoor living room with fireplace and big TV, outdoor kitchen and putting green.

Interiors are bright and airy thanks to generous windows and white, built-in cabinets and millwork galore.

'The Overlook' is a home on Okanagan Lake in Kelowna's Poplar Point neighbourhood worth $2-million-plus.

It features high-pitch roof lines, oodles of windows and wide overhangs for an Okanagan, contemporary look and feel.

The steep land the home is on made for construction challenges but maximizes the water views from every room.

'The Outlook' was designed by Paulo Keglos of Okanagan Planning Solutions, which Frame has worked with before, and 'Lakeside Haven' was designed by MKL Design Studios.

In both cases, Frame and the clients tweaked the designs to get exactly what they wanted.

Ginette Sigouin of Ginette Interiors in Kelowna designed the interiors for both homes.

While these are Frame's first national awards, he is no stranger to accolades.

Most recently, a new home with carriage house in an old neighbourhood near Kelowna General Hospital he built called 'Urban Retreat' was named home of the year at the Okanagan Housing Awards of Excellence.