Contest Judges - Our Panel of Experts

Gordon Bock is a writer, editor, architectural historian, and technical consultant specializing in residential architecture, historic building construction, and early modern design of the Arts & Crafts movement.

Best known for his two decades of work on Old-House Journal, Gordon is a national authority on all aspects of historic houses, and his articles on kitchens and appliances, green building trends, prefabricated houses, historic lighting and electricity, and the origins of building materials are widely cited. Gordon also writes and edits for a wide variety of other publications (including Traditional Building and Period Homes magazines, Old-House Interiors and Arts & Crafts Homes) and he is a contributor to popular books such as Caring For Your Historic House. Gordon is also the co-author of the book The Vintage House: A Guide to Successful Renovations and Additions, to be published by W.W. Norton in early 2011 (www.vintagehousebook.com).

Lorrie Browne is a licensed Interior Designer and founder of MyDesignSecrets.com (www.MyDesignSecrets.com),where she shares her trained eye through insider tips, inspiring articles, and imaginative insights that cover every aspect of interior design and home decorating.

Lorrie has served high-end residential clients for more than a decade through her South Florida company, Lorrie Browne Interiors (www.lb-interiors.com). Her diverse portfolio of projects includes work with new construction, major renovations, grand estate homes, and unique studio apartments. Her celebrated designs mirror the mood, personality and focus of her clients, and have earned her a reputation for consistently exceeding client expectations.

Phil Sparks is the Owner/Principal of The Sparks Group, LLC. With more than 35 years in design and 25 years in construction, Phil's experience has allowed him to master transforming people's homes into comfortable living spaces that reflect the personalities and lifestyles of the homeowner. The genesis of this began as early as age five, when he would go to homes of relatives or family friends and while the adults were all in another part of the house, rearrange their furniture to better suit his keen "eye." (Though his mother was initially apologetic, the recipient of the "mini-makeover" was always pleased and said the results looked even better!)

Drawing on his talents as a space planner and efficiency expert, Phil has a gift for assembling the right blend of both historical and contemporary elements to bring all of his interior and exterior design and remodeling projects to life. Phil's gift (he would call it a "sickness") to walk into any room and envision it completely transformed makes him sought after for those innovative and creative solutions he brings to his design process. Thus, his projects are well-known for their "wow" factor. In 2007 he formed PBS Design Group to expand his ability to deliver on people's dreams. In early 2010 he began expanding on that - in a big way - with his creation of The Sparks Group, LLC. With Phil, change doesn't have to be complicated. In fact, it can be remarkably simple. And it's Phil's ability to change people's lives with design that gives him the most satisfaction.

Rachel DeSchepper is a writer, editor, decorator and DIYer, who joined the magazine Fresh Home as team as online editor in June 2010. She is the editorial lead at FreshHomeideas.com and blogs daily at FreshHomeblog.com. (Follow her on Facebook (freshhomeideas) and Twitter (freshhomeideas), too!)

Before Fresh Home, Rachel cut her design teeth as associate editor at Country Home and associate editor at Portland Spaces. She transitioned to the web world in October 2008 as online editor at Every Day with Rachael Ray. She's appeared on Better.TV and The 10! Show, among others.