Annual kitchen and bath competition offers a new specialty outdoor kitchen category to its member-exclusive platform which showcases innovative designs.

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. (June 1, 2017) — The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) announced that the 2018 NKBA Design Competition is open and accepting submissions. The annual competition provides the opportunity to recognize the association’s designer members for their outstanding kitchen and bath projects completed between Jan. 1, 2016, and Aug. 4, 2017.

 

The Outdoor Kitchen category is new for 2018 due to its increasing popularity. According to the 2017 NKBA Design Trends report (link), 69 percent of the designers surveyed recently created an outdoor kitchen.

 

“We created the category to focus on outdoor kitchens that are as thoughtfully designed as their indoor counterparts,” said Elle H-Millard, CKD, NKBA manager of certification and design. “Entries will be judged on how well they complement the overall landscape and design of the home as well as the integration of safety and functionality.”

 

Member designers can enter their projects in one of six award categories, Small Kitchen, Medium Kitchen and Large Kitchen; Powder Room, Small Bathroom and Large Bathroom. In addition, applicants may choose to be considered for several specialty awards, including Best Before & After,

 

Budget-Friendly, Universal Design and the aforementioned Outdoor Kitchen.

 

All category winners are considered for the overall Best Kitchen and Best Bath Awards. Builder/ Remodeler applicants are eligible for the Builder/Remodeler Award, in honor of Clay Lyon, CR, 2012 NKBA Secretary. One honorable mention will be named for each of the six main categories.

 

“Being an NKBA Design Competition winner has given me and my business increased exposure and credibility,“ says Peter Salerno, CMKBD, president and designer for Peter Salerno Inc. in Wyckoff, New Jersey. “Because of it, I’ve been offered new projects all over the world, most recently kitchen designs in both Russia and Canada.”

 

The official entry packet with information on the entry process, categories, prizes, guidelines and more, can be downloaded at NKBA.org/Competition. Applicants can also learn about the competition’s entry process and expectations by watching a four-part instructional video series on “How to Enter the NKBA Design Competition,” presented by former Design Competition judge Peter Albanese, CKBD.

 

Participants should enter their projects with completed entry forms, clear photos, a concise design statement, elevations and a floor plan to scale. Incomplete entries will be disqualified. All entries must be received at the NKBA Headquarters by Aug. 4, 2017. Entries received between June 1, 2017, and July 1, 2017, qualify for the $75 early bird entry fee. For all entries received between July 2, 2017, and Aug. 4, 2017, the regular entry fee of $90 applies.

 

All winners will be honored at an exclusive awards event during KBIS 2018 in Orlando attended by association leadership and notable kitchen and bath industry professionals. Winners will also receive national recognition, a share of over $60,000 in cash prizes and be featured in NKBA Innovation+Inspiration magazine, on NKBA.org and in the NKBA Booth at KBIS 2018. In addition to being featured on several association platforms, winners’ projects are often published in leading industry publications.

 

To learn more about the competition rules and guidelines, and to enter online, visit NKBA.org/Competition. For information about sponsoring the 2018 NKBA Design Competition, contact Mauri Bailey at mbailey@nkba.org. To become an NKBA member, visit NKBA.org/Join.

 

About the National Kitchen & Bath Association and the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show

The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) is the not-for-profit trade association that owns the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show® (KBIS), as part of Design and Construction Week ® (DCW). With nearly 14,000 member companies representing tens of thousands of members in all segments of the kitchen and bath industry, the NKBA has educated and led the industry since the association’s founding in 1963. The NKBA envisions a world where everyone enjoys safe, beautiful and functional kitchen and bath spaces. The mission of the NKBA is to inspire, lead and empower the kitchen and bath industry through the creations of certifications, marketplaces and networks. For more information, visit NKBA.org or call 1-800-THE-NKBA (843-6522).

 

KBIS® and NKBA® are registered trademarks of the National Kitchen & Bath Association.

For editorial assistance, including photography, contact John O’Reilly c/o O’Reilly DePalma: 815-469-9100 or john.oreilly@oreilly-depalma.com