2024 Design Competition

Register Today

Win prizes, recognition, and bragging rights when you enter the 2024 NKBA Sierra Nevada Design Competition. Here's how it works!

2024 Design Competition Rules & Regulations

Awards

Prizes and recognition will be awarded in 11 categories:

• Best of the Best
• People’s Choice
• Best Large Kitchen
• Best Small Kitchen
• Best Large Bathroom
• Best Small Bathroom
• Best Powder Room
• Best Specialty Space
• Best Design Element
• Best Student Kitchen
• Best Student Bathroom

Important Dates

• Discounted Early Bird Registration between May 31 and June 30, 2024
• Regular Registration between July 1 and July 31, 2024 Extended to September 2, 2024
• Complete Your Entry by September 2, 2024
• Awards Ceremony on November 13, 2024

Which projects are eligible for entry?

• Projects completed within the NKBA Sierra/Nevada geographic region between January 1, 2021 and May 31, 2024 are eligible. The zip code for the project address must begin with 893-897, 935-936 or 961.
• Projects that have been entered in or won other design competitions are eligible.
• Projects may not be entered in more than one category, except for the Design Element category.
• More than one project may be entered in a category, however, only one project per entrant may earn a prize in a category.

Who is eligible to enter?

Professionals who design kitchens, bathrooms, and related specialty spaces may enter all categories except the student categories. Professional entrants need not be an NKBA member.

Non-professional students who are currently enrolled in a post-secondary architecture, design, or construction degree or certificate program may submit entries in the student design categories. Student entrants must be Sierra/Nevada NKBA members. Student membership is free.

As many as two co-designers from the same firm or school may be listed on each entry for no additional fee.

Team entries, including individuals from different firms, are permitted.

What are team entries?

Team entries allow suppliers, showrooms, contractors, and other professionals who worked on a project to enter the contest along with their designer.

How do team entries work?

• First, the designer enters the project in the competition
• Second, each team member creates a log-on, registers and pays the Team Entry Fee between May 31 and September 2, 2024.
• The designer and team members each pay an entry fee and, if the project wins, will each receive awards and recognition.

What does it cost to enter?

Students

• No charge to enter a conceptual design in the Residential Student design categories.
• Must be an NKBA member. Click here to join for free https://nkba.org/student-sign-up/

Early Bird Registration between May 31 and June 30, 2024

• Member $60 for the first entry, $30 for each additional entry
• Non-Member $120 for the first entry, $60 for each additional entry

Regular Registration between July 1 and July 31, 2024 Extended to September 2, 2024

• Member $100 for first entry and $50 for all other entries
• Non-Member $200 for first entry and $100 for all other entries
• To save on your registration fees, you can join NKBA Sierra Nevada here https://nkba.org/signup/

Fees are paid online at the time of entry and are not refundable.

How do I register?

Register online between May 31 and July 31, 2024. Extended to September 2, 2024

1. Click Register on this page and create your account.
   • Click Sign In
   • You’ll see the question, “Don’t have an account?” Click Create One and follow the prompts.
   • Enter your name, email address, and password.
2. You will be redirected to the registration page.
   • Indicate whether or not you are an NKBA member.
   • Choose the Design Competition categories you would like to enter.
   • Pay your registration fees.

How do I complete my entry?

After you register, you will be redirected to your entry list page. Or you can click View All under Click Here to View/Update Your Entries on this page.

You must complete your entry by September 2, 2024.

You will fill out three forms online.

1. An Entry Form providing information about you, your firm, and your team.
2. A Design Statement / Headline / Paragraph Form providing an overview of your project.
3. A List of Vendors whose products were featured in your design.

Entry Form

• Enter information about you, your firm, and your team.
• This form is not visible to the judges and does contain identifying information.

Statement / Headline / Paragraph Form

• Enter your Project Headline and Summary, maximum 75 words.
• Enter your Design Statement describing your client’s objectives and how they were met:
  • Explain any design challenges that were present and how they were solved.
  • Highlight design elements that are unique and memorable.
  • If client has refused any safety products or other design criteria, explain.
  • Maximum 750 words.
• This form is visible to the judges and must not contain any identifying information including the name, contact information, and any affiliations of the client, design firm, designer, or contractor(s).

List of Vendors

• Provide a list of product vendors which were featured in the project.
• This form is visible to the judges and must not contain any identifying information including the name, contact information, and any affiliations of the client, design firm, designer, or contractor(s).

You will upload design files and release forms:

1. Design files including your drawings and photographs.
2. Release forms for you, your firm, your client, and your photographer.

Plans

• Upload plans. 
  • Required
    • As-Built Floor Plan
    • Final Floor Plan
  • Optional
    • Mechanical/Electrical Plan(s)
    • Elevations
    • Details
  • Plans are visible to the judges and may not include company names, project name, client name, designer name, logos, home addresses, visible faces, or any other project identifiers.

Photographs

• Upload good quality professional and non-professional photographs. 
• Photo format:
  • Minimum 300 dpi
  • Maximum file size is 10MB.
  • .jpg format
• Photos are visible to the judges and may not include company names, project name, client name, designer name, logos, home addresses, visible faces, or any other project identifiers.
• Required
  • After Project, between 1 and 10 photos
  • Designer Headshot, 1 photo.
• Optional
  • Before Project, between 1 and 10 photos
  • Flat Lay, 1 photo.

Release Forms

Upload the following signed release forms.

• Business Owner Release
• Designer Release
• Client Release
• Photographer Release

Items uploaded to the Release Forms folder are not visible to the judges, and they do contain identifying information.

To download release forms click the file 2024-ReleaseFormsSierraNevada.pdf under the Downloadable Files Section on this page.

Award Category Details (Codes in parentheses)

Best Residential Kitchen

• Large Kitchen, 300 sf or more (K01) 
• Small Kitchen, under 300 sf (K02) 
  • When calculating square footage include cook, prep, and clean-up areas; family desks and built-ins; island dining and eat-in areas. 
  • Exclude formal dining rooms. 

Best Residential Bathroom 

• Large Bathroom, 70 sf or more (B01)
• Small Bathroom, under 70 sf (B02) 
• When calculating square footage include:
  • Toilet rooms, vanities, and areas for bathing and showering; closet and dressing areas. 
  • Exclude bedrooms. 

Best Residential Powder Room (B03) 

• Rooms with a toilet and sink but no bathtub or shower. No size constraints

Best Specialty Rooms (S01) 

• Specialty Rooms including live Showroom Displays. 
• Must have cabinetry, plumbing, or working appliances. 
• Examples: wet bars, outdoor kitchens, laundry rooms, and mudrooms. 

Best Residential Design Element (DE1) 

• One special Design Element, perhaps a custom cabinet or backsplash design. 
• Dual entry, the room in one of the categories above and the Design Element in this category, is allowed. 

Best Student Virtual Design

• Students will respond to design criteria provided by NKBA Sierra/Nevada.
• Kitchen (ST1)
• Bath (ST2) 

Judging

Fair & Impartial Judging

Judges will be kitchen and bath industry professionals who live and work outside of the Sierra Nevada region, and judging will be blind. All decisions of the judges are final. 

Judging Criteria

• Presentation, 20% - Considers the completeness and professionalism of the design statement, dimensioned floor plans and elevations, and other drawings. 
• Space Planning 20 % - Considers whether the available space was utilized in the best way possible related to the client's needs and NKBA Kitchen and Bath Planning Guidelines.
• Safety & Ergonomics, 30% - Considers the design’s safety and ease of use related to the client's needs and compliance with NKBA Kitchen and Bath Planning Guidelines.
• Creativity & Visual Appeal, 30% - Considers the overall aesthetic appeal of the project and use of innovative solutions, products, and materials. 

Reasons for Disqualification

• If you do not complete your entry, it will be disqualified. 
• If you include any identifying information in your forms visible to the judges, your entry will be disqualified.
  • Identifying information includes the name, contact information, and any affiliations of the client, design firm, designer, or contractor(s). 
• Fees for disqualified entries will not be refunded. 

Other Criteria

• NKBA Sierra/Nevada reserves the right to determine the number of winners per category. We will announce the number of winners per category after registration closes on 8/31/2024. 
• Projects may be moved to an alternate category, if in the wrong category, by the judges. Entrants will be notified before their projects are moved.
• NKBA Kitchen & Bath Guidelines will be used for judging. 

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Please contact Jackie Lopey, NKBA Sierra/Nevada Chapter President, admin@widecanvas.design, with any questions.