Krugel Cobbles Captures Commendations

For the second year in a row, Krugel Cobbles swept the hardscape category at the ILCA awards banquet last month.  By winning the gold and two silver prizes, Krugel has essentially repeated last year’s performance, when the hardscape giant took home the gold, silver, and merit awards at the gala event.  The merit has since been dropped in favor of more silver.

The annual program, held last month at Drury Lane, celebrates Illinois’ best achievements in landscape design and includes recognition for construction, management, and specialty categories such as hardscaping.  Industry insiders find Krugel’s dominance in this area easy to fathom.  “They’re just the best”, says Gene K., longtime Lake County landscape leader.  “I’m not even sure why anyone else enters”, he opines.  “They have the best systems, the best designers, and quite frankly, the best clients.  They should win every year.”

At this Chicago home, imported ‘paradiso’ granite from India is used to create a terrace of striking beauty.  So unusual is this custom material that the homeowners are likely never to see a similar patio, yet its surface is flat enough to host a basketball game.  This remarkable marriage of form and function has long been a hallmark of Krugel creations, and garnered the Leahy project a silver prize.

A second silver ribbon went to Krugel Cobbles for a home in Kenilworth.  Here Wisconsin limestone is employed in all its various phases to form a fitting front entry to a fine north shore abode.  A walk of random flagstones leads the visitor to the front porch steps, mortar-clad with custom veneer stone.  A half-wall with matching veneer encircles the cozy porch landing and finishes with a cap of 2” rock-faced coping.  Fronting the porch wall is an undulating shorter one, made from cut dry-wall, and housing a gorgeous raised perennial garden.  The artistry involved in melding these elements is apparent at once from the street.

When asked about their annual awards domination, Jon Hirsch, COO of Krugel Cobbles, was a bit evasive.  “The awards are nice,” says Hirsch, “but it’s not really our focus.  We approach every job the same…to create beauty and value for our customers, as well as a smooth contracting experience.  If our peers choose to recognize our achievements it’s just icing on the cake for us.”