2024 Kitchen & Bath Design + Industry Awards

Eastern Carolinas Chapter

2024 Kitchen & Bath Design + Industry Awards

Award Categories

The competition is divided into the following categories. Please select the appropriate category for your entry:

Kitchen

• Small (Under 300 square feet)
• Large (300 square feet and over)

Only residential kitchens are permitted in the small and large kitchen categories. Any style is acceptable (traditional, contemporary, luxury, etc.)

Bathroom

• Powder Room
• Full Bath

Only residential bathrooms are permitted. Powder rooms do not contain a shower or tub. Full bathrooms may be connected to and entered through the primary bedroom or located in a hall serving the primary bedroom as well as other rooms.

Winner Recognition

Category Awards

• First place $500
• Second place $250
• Third place $100

Winners announced during the 2024 Eastern Carolinas Chapter Holiday Party. 

Winning projects displayed on the Eastern Carolinas Chapter social media pages.

In addition to cash prizes, category and specialty winners will receive:

• One personalized award
• One free ticket to Eastern Carolinas Holiday Party

Judging

The competition entries will be scored based on the following core areas:

• Creativity, presentation, design planning, elements and principles of design, safety, and ergonomics.
• Judges will include a panel of kitchen designers outside the Triangle area.

Competition Guidelines

• The individual entrant must be the Designer of Record on each project.
• The project(s) submitted must not have been entered in previous Eastern Carolinas Design Awards.
• Enter the project into the one category for which it is best suited. You may submit up to 2 projects per category.
• A new entry form is required for each project submitted and is to be completed in full. 
• Entries must be received by September 9, 2024, at 11:59pm ET.
• All indentifying design and firm information must be omitted, removed, or blacked out from photographs, floor plans, elevations, and design statements.
• All required materials must be received digitally and labeled according to NKBA Eastern Carolinas.

Entry Fees

No entry fees are required.

Required Materials Checklist

1. Fill out the entry forms. 
2. Upload Before and After photos (up to 10 total high resolution color photos).
   • Photographs must be owned and taken by or on behalf of the Entrant, must not infringe upon any third party's intellectual property rights (e.g., the photos may not have been previously published in a magazine or other copyrighted work in which the Entrant did not retain copyright in the photos.
   • If the Entrant did not take the photos, the Entrant must have the written consent of the photographer and the homeowner to submit the photos in the Contest.
3. Design Statement
   • 200 to 400 word narrative and bulleted list of features and highlights.
   • Do not include any identifying designer and firm information.
4. Client property release form
5. Photography release form, if applicable
6. Business owner form
7. Bio & Optional Headshot (winners must provide a headshot suitable for publication)
8. Drawings are OPTIONAL (floorplans and elevations)
   • Drawings DO NOT need to adhere to NKBA Graphics & Presentation Standards, including SCALE and dimension requirements, but must be neat and legible.
   • Identifying designer and firm information must be removed/omitted.

Design Statement Requirements

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

• Do not include any identifying member information such as:
  • Client name
  • Client address
  • Business name
  • Business address
• 200 to 400 word statement that outlines client needs, objectives, design philosophy, challenges, solution and special features (think of the design statement as you would 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

Reasons for Disqualification

• If any materials are omitted or if required criteria is not met, the entry will be disqualified. NKBA Eastern Carolinas reserves the right to disqualify a project before, during or after the contest judging. Please note, your NKBA membership will be verified and false information will lead to disqualification.
• Your submission must be received by 11:59 pm ET on September 3, 2024. Incomplete entries will be disqualified.
• To avoid disqualification, please adhere closely to all competition guidelines and deadlines.