Design Excellence Awards 2026 Competition

One completed residential interior space, excluding kitchens, bathrooms, and spaces covered by another specific category.

Two or more residential interior spaces designed as one cohesive project, excluding projects better suited to a specific category. Projects involving substantial renovation should be entered under Residential Renovation.

New construction, renovation, or redesign of a residential kitchen.

New construction, renovation, or redesign of a residential bathroom.

Substantial transformation of an existing residential interior, including partial or whole-home renovations, emphasizing improvements to layout, functionality, and overall design. Before-and-after documentation is required.

Designed residential outdoor spaces, including patios, terraces, outdoor kitchens, courtyards, and covered living areas.

Residential spaces designed for a specific purpose, including home theatres, wine rooms, dressing rooms, home offices, and other specialty interiors.

Corporate offices, professional workplaces, coworking environments, and other business interiors.

Restaurants, bars, cafés, lounges, and other food-and-beverage establishments.

Hotels, resorts, guest accommodations, and associated hospitality interiors.

Retail stores, product showrooms, galleries, and customer-facing display environments, including showrooms designed or operated by industry partners.

Shared spaces within multifamily residential developments, including lobbies, clubhouses, lounges, fitness facilities, and other resident amenities.

Commercial, institutional, or public interiors not covered by another category, including educational, cultural, civic, and entertainment environments.

Completed trade showroom interiors designed to showcase products, materials, or furnishings for the interior design industry. Entries may include new showrooms, renovations, or redesigns of existing spaces.

Projects that preserve, restore, or repurpose historic or architecturally significant interiors while respecting their original character.

Projects demonstrating thoughtful design solutions that enhance accessibility, usability, and inclusion for individuals with diverse physical, sensory, or cognitive needs.

Completed designer showhouse rooms, temporary interiors, exhibition installations, and other short-term designed environments.

Original furniture, lighting, fixtures, decorative accessories, or interior design products created by an eligible designer or industry partner.

Interior design of yachts and other private recreational vessels, including cabins, lounges, dining areas, guest accommodations, and onboard living spaces. Projects may include new construction, renovation, or refitting of existing interiors.

Residential, commercial, hospitality, or specialty design projects created by designers within five years of graduating from an interior design program. Completed, conceptual, and unbuilt projects are eligible.

Residential, commercial, hospitality, or specialty design projects developed as part of an academic interior design program. Conceptual and unbuilt projects are eligible.