From Blueprints to Best Backyard Amenity: A Look Inside the 2025–2026 Award Season
Each Fall, Denver’s homebuilding community comes together to celebrate the artistry, innovation, and collaboration that define our industry. The MAME Awards—often called the “Oscars” of homebuilding—recognize the best in architecture, design, and construction across the Front Range. For Larsen, this season is more than a night of celebration. It’s a reflection of the work, the people, and the creative partnerships that bring each custom home to life.
This year, Larsen is honored to be named a finalist for Custom Home Builder of the Year, Best Outdoor Space Design, Best Backyard Amenity, and Best On the Boards – Architecture category. Each recognition represents a different part of what makes our integrated design + build process so powerful—from the first sketch to the final stone set around a firepit.
Our On the Boards finalist, a Contemporary Dream House in Applewood, embodies the forward-thinking creativity that drives our architectural studio. This home was imagined as a true expression of Colorado living, merging form, function, and flow. The design features expansive indoor-outdoor living areas that open fully to the backyard, creating a seamless connection between architecture and landscape. A glass bridge leads to a full master suite complete with its own sitting room, while a private speakeasy, pool, and multiple entertainment zones make the home as dynamic as it is livable. It’s a design that balances innovation with intimacy, proving that modern architecture can be both striking and soulful. A house like no other on the West side of Denver.
Our finalist for Best Outdoor Space Design and Best Backyard Amenity highlights one of our favorite project types—homes where the backyard is as intentional as any interior room. This particular residence, just west of Cherry Creek, transforms outdoor living into a year-round experience. The design centers around a sports centered backyard complete with an multiuse sports court, outdoor kitchen, custom firepit, water feature, and putting green. Bifold doors open directly from the main living areas to the patio, while a full metal trellis overhead ties the space together, providing both shade and structure. Every element was designed to invite connection and recreation, blending entertainment, relaxation, and design precision in true Larsen fashion. The backyard was installed by Down to Earth Landscaping and designed in partnership with Elevate by Design, whose collaboration helped bring the outdoor vision to life.
These nominations reflect more than one project; they represent a philosophy. At Larsen, every home begins with collaboration. Our architects, interior designers, construction team, and trade partners sit at the same table—literally and creatively. This approach allows us to move from concept to completion with intention and unity, ensuring that every space feels cohesive and deeply personal to the family who lives there.
Recognition from the HBA is always meaningful, but the real reward comes in seeing our clients walk through their finished homes—spaces that began as sketches and conversations, and now serve as the backdrop for their lives. As we move into 2026, we’re proud to see the evolution of custom homebuilding reflected in the work being honored this year. Thoughtful architecture, integrated outdoor spaces, and interiors that balance beauty and function—these are the hallmarks of the modern Colorado home. Award season reminds us that design is a team effort, and every great home begins with trust, creativity, and collaboration. We’re grateful for the partners, clients, and community who make this work possible—and we can’t wait to see what’s next.