Virginia homebuilding company wins GALA awards for architecture, merchandising and marketing
Miller & Smith is proud to receive four awards from the Northern Virginia Building Industry Association’s Washington Metropolitan Sales & Marketing Council during the 2023 Greater American Living Awards (GALA) event. The GALA honors the industry’s best in building, development, architecture, interior design and sales and marketing.
“Our team is thrilled to win four prestigious awards at the 2023 GALA event,” said Erica Bell, marketing manager with Miller & Smith. “It is an honor to be recognized for our hard work in style, design and marketing efforts!”
This year’s wins include:
- Best Design & Architecture – Cascades at Embery Mill
- Best Interior Merchandising – The Rainier Model at Cascades at Embery Mill
- Best Direct Mail Campaign – 5-Star Soiree Invitation
- Best Social Media – Styled by You Campaign
Winning Best Design & Architecture, Cascades at Embery Mill is a 55+ community offering low-maintenance living in stunning homes crafted for homeowners who desire a carefree lifestyle. Thoughtfully placed in Stafford, Virginia, the active adult community showcases a collection of villa-style, attached homes boasting three to four bedrooms and two to three-and-a-half bathrooms across 2,800 square feet of living space. Priced from the upper $400,000s, each home showcases sought-after appointments such as a primary suite located on the main level, open-concept floor plans and opportunities to add on a porch or patio.
Cascades at Embrey Mill also won Best Interior Merchandising for its model home. Built with active empty-nesters in mind, this model home is meant for visitors and entertaining. This study, in contrast, features high style—modern with traditional touches that harmoniously blend with how we live today. A focus on living in an airy, open plan with an abundance of natural light, inviting décor, and accessories brings out a sense of peace in this home that is simply mesmerizing. With thoughtful storage areas, space for an exercise room, and plenty of comfortable seating, this model home is perfect for people of all ages. The bunkroom and loft are the grandchildren’s favorite places for hide-and-seek, while the entire family loves playing games, relaxing and bonding in the spacious recreational room. This model home is a stunning example of elevated design and functionality–a place that celebrates family and stylish and comfortable living.
Winning Best Direct Mail Campaign, the 5-Star Soiree invitation to an evening spent in Patapsco Crossing’s Bradburne Multi-Gen Model with Chef Roberto Donna. You open your mailbox to something unexpected. Certainly, a hand-addressed, solid gold envelope stands out amongst a sea of junk mail and bills. Inside, you pull out a card. Its presence is distinctive with its heavy weight stark white card stock, juxtaposed by a rich gold foil stamp inviting you to a 5-Star Soiree. This is no everyday gesture but rather a thank you that stands out in the mailbox monotony.
The 5-Star Soiree event was the perfect pairing to match the spirit of Miller & Smith’s gratitude to its homebuyers, prospects and Realtor Ambassadors. The 5-Star Thank You Soiree set out to wine and dine with personally prepared hors d’oeuvres, desserts, and a front-row seat to culinary theater with homemade tasting portions of Fettuccine Parmesan. It was dazzling to the senses to fully experience la dolce vita.
At Miller & Smith, we believe there is no better way to experience a model home than to linger a little longer. See it in its very best light and how it will set the mood for so many moments. From school days to 5-star soirees, it is built to do it all. This big idea was a delicious direct mail success. And it all started with a little gold envelope that was sent out with one very big job to do.
Named Best Social Media, the Styled by You campaign presents all the inspirational elements from the homebuilding and buying process in an equally artful way. Taking design cues and a copywriting style straight from the pages of fashion editorials, with impactful type, classic black and white design, with our iconic pops of Miller & Smith red. Using design cues and social media strategy to fit the individual personas and the lifestyles to match.
The Styled by You campaign covets worthy style, finishes and design preferences in your new Miller & Smith home.
For more information on Miller & Smith and its award-winning communities, visit www.MillerandSmith.com.
About Miller & Smith
With beautiful communities of new homes for sale in Virginia and Maryland, Miller & Smith has been the D.C. area’s premier homebuilder and real estate developer since 1964. Miller & Smith’s unique approach to homebuilding has driven the company to build nearly 20,000 homes in some of the D.C. metropolitan region’s most innovative and imaginative new home communities. For more information on Miller & Smith, visit www.MillerandSmith.com.
