Special Notes!
- Entry into the Design Awards includes one (1) complimentary ticket to the Gala & Design Awards Celebration on October 16, 2026. Please note that only one complimentary ticket will be provided per entrant, regardless of the number of project submissions entered into the competition.
- Additional tickets for guests are available for purchase.
Pricing
- Early Bird Pricing is 6/1/2026–6/30/2026
- Members — $250 for the first entry and $125 for each additional entry
- Non-Members — $350 for the first entry and $175 for each additional entry
- Students — First entry free. Each additional entry is $125
- Regular Pricing is 7/1/2026–9/01/2026
- Members — $275 for the first entry and $150 for each additional entry
- Non-Members — $375 for the first entry and $200 for each additional entry
- Students — First entry free. Each additional entry is $150
Eligibility
- All students and design professionals can participate in the competition.
- Professionals can be members or non-members of the NKBA. Professionals must only enter the paid section of the contest, as professional entries in the student section will be disqualified with no refund or credit.
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To enter as a student, the project you submit must have been completed while you were enrolled—full-time or part-time—in an undergraduate or graduate program at a design school. You do not need to still be enrolled when you enter; graduating before you submit does not affect your eligibility, as long as the project was completed during your enrollment.
Required proof. You must upload proof that you were enrolled at the institution during the period in which the project was completed. Acceptable proof includes a transcript, an enrollment verification, a student ID valid for the relevant term, or a bona fide/authorized letter or certificate from the institution.
- Project being entered must have been completed between November 2024 – September 2026 to qualify. Note: this is a 22-month window.
Base Rules
- Project submissions must be based in Southern California (Ventura County / Los Angeles County / Riverside County / San Bernardino County / Orange County / San Diego County).
- You can submit more than one project per category. Please review category parameters.
- There is an initial fee for the first project and a discounted fee for subsequent submissions.
- Your project submissions must not include any form of identification or personal information such as your name, organization, city, etc.
- The registration fee is non-refundable. Therefore, should a participant change their mind, refuse, or fail to submit an entry after registering, the registration amount will not be refunded.
- If there are any changes in competition brief or schedule, they shall be updated on the website.
- When you register for a competition, you are automatically agreeing to the terms of the contest.
Awards
Awards will be given based on a top-scoring-points system, where the highest point-earning projects will win each category. All entries are evaluated by an independent panel of nationally recognized judges who hold professional kitchen and bath design certifications and credentials. To ensure impartiality, no local chapter members participate in the judging process.
The “Best Showroom” category will be awarded by the NKBA SoCal Council, and is the only category that the NKBA SoCal Council will have preview access to before the Southern California Design Awards Gala.
For the awards that the competition will result in, these are the following available:
- Best Contemporary/Modern Kitchen - over 225 sq ft
- Best Traditional/Transitional Kitchen - over 225 sq ft
- Best Use of Color — Any Style Kitchen - no size requirement
- Best Small Kitchen, 225 sq. ft. or less
- Best Outdoor Kitchen
- Best Primary Bathroom, 150 sq. ft. or larger
- Best Primary Bathroom, less than 150 sq. ft.
- Best Secondary Bathroom
- Best Powder Bathroom
- Best Specialty Space
- Best Student Concept
- Best Showroom
All category winners receive the following:
- Digital media coverage through NKBA SoCal Instagram, website, and other social media channels.
- A complimentary, all-expense-paid Winner’s Trip in Q2 2027 — details to follow.
Photography
Image Requirements:
- Project photos must be minimum 320 dpi, high-resolution images.
- Head shot(s) must be high-resolution, professional photography.
- Photo Release form must be completed and submitted along with entry. This form is provided to download from the ‘Contest Files’ section.
Judging Criteria
The entries will be judged by a jury of industry professionals based on the following criteria:
- Presentation: The fundamental to a good entry is a visual delivery of ideas. Please make sure to include your floor plans, elevations, renderings, and professional images, both before and after. Before images not required.
- Concept/Idea: Quality of thought and intent in the pre-design phase.
- Design Outcome: The final architectural outcome of the solution.
Have Prepared:
- Before/After Images — You must have a minimum of 5 professional “after” photos with a maximum of 12.
- Summary of Project: Concept, Idea & Outcome (150 words or less)
- Floor Plans & Elevations
- Floor plans must be fully dimensioned and drawn to scale. Because technical proficiency is an important component of the judging process, entrants are strongly encouraged to include technical drawings, elevations, and other supporting construction documents that clearly communicate the design intent and execution of the project.
- Renderings (optional)
- List of manufacturers featured in project
The decision of the judges is final. No appeals will be entertained, and no further correspondence shall be entered into.
By the entrant submitting project entries in this contest, client approval is implied.
Disqualification
- The participant will be disqualified in case of unethical practices or disregard for any other competition rules.
- Contacting any judge is strictly prohibited and will result in disqualification of entry/entries.
- Entrant must ensure that all project data submitted does NOT contain information indicating who the designer or firm entering is. Entries containing personal data, watermarks, etc. will be disqualified.
- Please make sure that you submit all required information to properly judge your project. If not completed within the contest timeline, the project will be disqualified.
- Disqualified or incomplete entries do not qualify for a refund or credit.