2025 Star Design Awards

ENTRY DEADLINE

All entry materials must be uploaded and all fees received by: 11:59 pm Friday, September 12, 2025.  

ENTRY FEES

• Entry fee is $150 1st Entry.  Students are free to enter.
• Additional project entry fee is $120 per entry.
• Entry fees are non-refundable. All fees will be collected through the payment portal at the time of registration.
• Entries received after 9/2/2025 is $250.00 per entry

JUDGING CRITERIA

Projects will be judged by three standards. Winning projects will feature spaces that "Look Great, Work Well and Feel Right."

LOOKS GREAT: Effectively presents design elements with respect to texture, color, proportion and style, in the context of the shape of the space. "Looking great" is the "wow", created by the "how".

WORKS WELL: Skillfully accommodates the processes typically associated with a space, involving circulation, distribution, collection and storage. "Working well" is the seamless flow of activities within a space, following NKBA Planning Guidelines.

FEELS RIGHT: Achieves a pleasing composition of function and aesthetic, balancing the lifestyle of the owner with their home's personality. "Feeling right" is experiencing a harmonious relationship between parts within the whole - the musicality of a space.

COMPETITION JUDGING

To ensure impartial judging, all professional entries will be judged by a panel of CKBD/CMKBD designers outside of the NKBA San Diego Chapter.

Judging of all entries in the competition will be guided by the 4th Edition Kitchen and Bath Planning Guidelines. (See Supporting Documents Folder)

Judging will be completed by the end of September 2025. Winners will be announced at the Star Design Awards Gala following the Industry Showcase and CEU on Tuesday, October 14, 2025 at Lomas Santa Fe Country Club, Solana Beach, California.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

• All Professional design projects must have been completed between September 6, 2024 - September 1, 2025.
• Student projects will be accepted from the Fall semester of 2024 - Spring 2025.
• Projects entered must have been installed in the state of California.
• All individual NKBA San Diego Chapter members in good standing and all designers associated with NKBA San Diego Chapter firms in good standing are eligible to enter this competition.
• Project(s) entries must not have been submitted or published in local or national consumer publications, or a local ad prior to Tuesday, September 1, 2025, or entered in previous Chapter design competitions. Projects will be disqualified if the above mentioned occurs.
• Projects submitted must not have been an award winner in any other design competition.

REQUIRED CONTENTS FOR EACH ENTRY

• Online entry form
• Entry fee
• Floor plan drawn to 1/2" = 1'-0" scale, with scale noted, on an 11"x17" sheet.  1/4" = 1'-0" will be accepted for larger square footages that can't be accomodated by the 1//2" scale.
• Elevations of each wall in the space per the submitted floorplan.  1/4"=1'0" or 1/2"=1-0" scale, with scale noted, on an 11' x 17" sheet.  Multiple elevations may be on the same sheet, but must be labeled.
• Perspective drawings (optional)
• After photos: Professional photography is highly recommended. A minimum of two individual 8" x 10" high resolution (300 dpi) color photos are required in JPG, PDF or PNG format. Optional detail photos will be accepted, up to 5 total images.
• Before photos are helpful, but not required, up to 5 total images.
• Design statement of 200-400 words (see Design Statement file for additional information)

COMPETITION RULES AND ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

• All applicable sections of the entry form must be completed, including company and designer information. All required signatures must be obtained.
• Any and all co-designers must be named on the entry form. Co-designer's names will be included in all publicity efforts and on all awards.
• Interpretive drawings of the completed project must be submitted. These may be elevations or perspective artist's renderings.
• All plans and drawings must by clean, easy to understand and professionally presented.                 
• All plans and drawings for the completed project must meet NKBA Graphics and Presentation Standards, and be presented in 1/2" = 1'-0" scale on an 11" x 17" sheet and the scale must be noted on the plans, or with exception listed above.
• No color may be used on any of the drawings.
• Professional After photographs must be submitted in 8" x 10" format. Please submit photos that clearly and adequately represent the qualify of your project. The NKBA San Diego Chapter will retain non-exclusive rights to all photography for future promotional, magazine editorial, public relations and education purposes.
• NO FIRM, CLIENT, CONTRACTOR, PHOTOGRAPHER OR DESIGNER IDENTIFICATION OF ANY KIND MAY APPEAR ANYWHERE ON THE FLOOR PLANS, PHOTOS OR DRAWINGS.
• The 200-400 word Design Statement is your opportunity to present the client's objectives, the project's challenges and to clarify your unique solution so that the judges understand the significance and scope of your design (See Design Statement file for additional information.)
• More than one project may be submitted.

DESIGN COMPETITION GALA

Each Designer will receive one (1) ticket to the Industry Showcase/Expo & Star Design Awards Gala (maximum of 1 ticket per designer with multiple entries). RSVP for the event will be required in advance.

The Star Design Award Winners will be announced at the Industry Showcase/Expo & Star Design Awards Gala, on Tuesday, October 14, 2025 at Lomas Santa Fe Country Club, 1505 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Solana Beach CA 92075. This event will be our Chapter meeting for October. All competition entries will be displayed for viewing. First place winners in each Professional category will receive a trophy and $250. First place winners in each Student category will receive $100, in addition to being featured in the News section of our San Diego Chapter page on the National NKBA website. In the event there is a co-designer in a winning category, the total cash prize of $250 will be split between the designers.

Be sure to attend the Gala to accept your award and to support the Talented Design Professionals in our Chapter!

IMPORTANT DATES

• Friday September 12, 2025 @ 11:59 PM: Entry Deadline 
• Tuesday, October 14, 2025 - 4:00 - 9:00 PM: Industry Showcase/Expo & Star Design Awards Gala