NKBA Design Competition

Best Overall Category Awards:

Best Overall Kitchen – $20,000

Best Overall Bath – $20,000

Category Awards

1st place:  $5,000

2nd place:  $3,000

3rd place:  $2,000

Kitchen Categories:

• Kitchen – Small – under 300 sq. ft. 
• Kitchen – Large – over 300 sq. ft.
• Specialty Kitchen – i.e. dirty kitchen, caterer’s or scullery kitchens, Kosher kitchen, guest house kitchen, outdoor kitchen

Prizes | First: $5,000  Second: $3,000  Third: $2,000

Bath Categories:

• Powder Room (No shower or tub)
• Secondary Bath 
• Primary Bath 

Prizes | First: $5,000  Second: $3,000  Third: $2,000

Best Overall Category Awards

Best Overall Kitchen** – $20,000

Best Overall Bath ** – $20,000

See Entry Packet for details.

**Overall winners will be chosen from first-place winners of each category.

The competition entries will be scored based on the following core areas, click here for complete criteria and requirements.

• Creativity
• Presentation
• Design planning
• Elements and Principles of Design
• Safety and ergonomics
• NKBA Planning Guidelines (4th Edition)

Two rounds of judging will occur: 

Round 1  – will be scored by editors from various trade and consumer publications.  Judges will review the projects on creativity, innovation as well as Wow factor.

Round 2  – The judging panel will be comprised of NKBA-certified designers. Those who move onto Round 2 will be notified in late July and will have until August 18, 2023, to upload their remaining required documents.

• NKBA Members: First project entry is $175; Second project is $150 an each subsequent entry is $130 per project.
• Non-Members: First project entry is $225, while the second project submission is $200 and each subsequent entry is $175 per project.
• The individual entrant must be the Designer of Record on each project. There is a maximum of two co-designers for each project.
• If the entrant is not the owner of the business that billed the project, owner approval is required for eligibility.
• The project(s) submitted must have been installed between January 1, 2022 and July 11, 2023.
• Enter the project into the one category for which it is best suited, based on size and style. You may enter as many projects s you would like that fit into the various categories.
• A new entry form is required for each project submitted and is to be completed in full. Each entry requires a separate fee.
• Entries must be received in their entirety by July 11, 2023, at 11:59 PM ET with the entry fee paid in full.
• All identifying design/firm information must be removed or blacked out from photographs, floor plans, elevations and design statements.
• All required materials must be received digitally and labeled according to NKBA directions.

1. Review the 2024 Design Competition Entry Packet and Kitchen & Bath Guidelines
2. Register for an account on the awards platform.
3. Complete Online Entry Form.
   • Select “Start entry” on the bottom of the page.
   • When filling out the entry information, you will create a Project ID. You may name your project as you see fit, however, please include the category-specific abbreviation. For example, an entry in the Specialty Kitchen category would include SPK – Name of Entry.
   • Enter all the required information clicking “Save + Next” as you complete each tab. Please be sure to include any co-designers.
4. Upload photos (up to 10 total).
   • The NKBA requests up to 10 high-resolution (300 dpi) color photos, approximately
     8” x 10”. Professional photography is highly recommended! Avoid using photos that identify the project location or individuals such as client, children or site workers.
5. Design Statement
   • Must be typed and match standard formatting including a 200-to-400 word narrative and bulleted list of features and highlights.
   • Do not include any identifying designer and firm information.
6. Drawings (construction, floorplans, elevations).
   • Scale MUST be 1⁄4”, 1⁄2” or 1:20 metric scale and cleanly labeled including dimensions.
   • Identifying designer and firm information must be removed/omitted.
7. Client property release form (not seen by judges)
8. Photography release form (not seen by judges)
9. Business owner form (not seen by judges)
10. Headshot & Bio (not seen by judges)

Please use this as a guide when preparing your design statement.

• All design statements must be typed.
• Do not include any identifying member information such as:
  • Client name
  • Client address
  • Business name
  • Business address

• Statements should be 200-400 word statements that outline the client needs, objectives, design philosophy, challenges, solutions and special circumstances (think of the design statement you’d pitch to a magazine).
• Objectives: Outlines criteria to be met by your design solution
  • Create casual dining for large family.
  • Update to contemporary tastes of clients.
  • Provide healing options for a sick family.
  •  Create multigenerational kitchen.
• Design Challenges: Describe fixed elements or special circumstances
  • Design space around support posts, air ducts, plumbing, etc.
  • Include client’s sports souvenirs collection.
• Design Solutions: Describe how you creatively solved the challenges, for example:
  • Used negative space between air ducts and created storage space.
• Special Features: Highlight design elements that are unique or notable, for example:
  • Technology and voice activation.
  • Repurposed wood from the dance studio where client danced as a child.
• To present your entry in the best way, please use the above guidelines to assist in creating a concise, effective design statement. This will help to ensure that the judges have a good understanding of your project. It can be written as a narrative, a  comprehensive bulleted list or a combination of both.

• Any materials are omitted or if the required criteria is not met, the entry will be disqualified.  No notification will be given.  NKBA reserves the right to disqualify a project, pre, during and after the contest judging.  Entry fees will not be refunded.
• You state you are an NKBA member and we find this to be false.
• Your submission is not received by 11:59 p.m. ET on July 11, 2023.  Incomplete entries will be disqualified. 
• You do not adhere to all competition guidelines, requirements and deadlines.
• You do not submit all documentation in one digital submission.