Amid the glitz and glamour of the Las Vegas Strip, nearly 1,000 industry leaders, design professionals, VIPs and media attended the highly anticipated National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) Design + Industry Awards on Jan. 20, 2020, at the Encore Resort. Held annually, these awards shine a spotlight on the design professionals whose work is raising the bar in kitchen and bath design, building and remodeling, outdoor living and living in place. Each is a measure of excellence for this corner of the interior design world. Celebrity designer and lifestyle expert Kelli Ellis hosted the ceremonies, handing out more than 40 awards during the evening, including the design and independent showroom honorees.
Congratulations to this year’s winners:
BEST OVERALL KITCHEN
Sarah Robertson, AKBD, Owner and Lead Designer, Studio Dearborn
Mamaroneck, NY
Westchester Chapter
Larchmont Manor Victorian
BEST OVERALL BATH
Michelle Miazga-Hall, Founder and Principal, Port + Quarter Interiors
Vancouver, British Columbia
British Columbia Chapter
Spyglass
CONTEMPORARY KITCHEN, LARGE (250 Square Feet and Over)First Place
Lana Zepponi Meyers, AKBD, Kitchens Unlimited
Memphis, TN
Tennessee Chapter
College Town Contemporary
Second Place
Sandra Diaz-Velasco, AIA, ASID, LEED AP BD+C, Principal Architect, EOLO A&I Design
Miami, FL
South Florida Chapter
CasaMar
Third Place
Elma Gardner, CMKBD, Owner and Principal Designer, By Design
Davis, CA
California Capital Chapter
CONTEMPORARY KITCHEN, SMALL (Under 250 Square Feet)
First Place
Svetiana Tryaskina, Estee Design
Toronto, Ontario
Ontario/Canada Chapter
Open-Plan Kitchen
Second Place
Sandra Diaz-Velasco, AIA, ASID, LEED AP BD+C, Principal Architect, EOLO A&I Design
Miami, FL
South Florida Chapter
Brickell Bachelor Condo
Third Place
Nyla Free, Nyla Free Designs Inc.
Calgary, Alberta
Prairie Provinces Chapter
TRADITIONAL KITCHEN, LARGE (250 Square Feet and Over)
First Place
Sarah Robertson, AKBD, Owner and Lead Designer, Studio Dearborn
Mamaroneck, NY
Westchester Chapter
Larchmont Manor Victorian
Second Place
Cindy Aplanalp-Yates, Principal Designer, Chairma Design Group
Houston, TX
Texas Gulf Coast Chapter
Spacious Southern Home
Third Place
David Heide, Allied ASID, Associate AIA, Principal, David Heide Design Studio
Minneapolis, MN
Minnesota State Chapter
Practical Magic
TRADITIONAL KITCHEN, SMALL (Under 250 Square Feet)
First Place
Karen Swanson, Owner/Designer, New England Design Works
Manchester, MA
Hardwick
Second Place
Sarah Robertson, AKBD, Owner and Lead Designer, Studio Dearborn
Mamaroneck, NY
Westchester Chapter
Larchmont Funhouse
Third Place
Karen Swanson, Owner/Designer, New England Design Works
Manchester, MA
Chandler
CONTEMPORARY BATH, LARGE (250 Square Feet and Over)
First Place
Michelle Miazga, Founder and Principal, Port + Quarter Interiors
Vancouver, British Columbia
British Columbia Chapter
Spyglass
Second Place
Carly Nemtean, Carriage Lance Design-Build
Mississauga, Ontario
Ontario/Canada Chapter
Indian
Third Place
Elma Gardner, CMKBD, Owner and Principal Designer, By Design
Davis, CA
California Capital Chapter
CONTEMPORARY BATH, SMALL (Under 250 Square Feet)
First Place
Michelle Miazga-Hall, Founder and Principal, Port + Quarter Interiors
Vancouver, British Columbia
British Columbia Chapter
Spyglass
Second Place
Madeleine Sloback, Principal, Madeleine Design Group
Vancouver, British Columbia
British Columbia Chapter
Ocean Bluff Estate
Third Place
Sandra Diaz-Velasco, AIA, ASID, LEED AP BD+C, Principal Architect, EOLO A&I Design
Miami, FL
South Florida Chapter
Brickell Penthouse
TRADITIONAL BATH, LARGE (250 Square Feet and Over)
First Place
Jenny Madden, Allied ASID, Founder, Jenny Madden Design
Hoboken, NJ
Manhattan Chapter
Townhouse Retreat
Second Place
Bill Livingston, CKD, CLIPP, Owner, Livecentric Kitchen & Bath
Oklahoma City, OK
Oklahoma Chapter
Poised Oasis
Third Place
Dalit Dray, Owner and Design Director, Dray Design Group
Aventura, FL
South Florida Chapter
Master Bathroom
TRADITIONAL BATH, SMALL (Under 250 Square Feet)
First Place
Dvira Ovadia, Owner, Dvira Interiors
Toronto, Ontario
Ontario/Canada Chapter
Industrial Boys Bathroom
Second Place
Dvira Ovadia, Owner, Dvira Interiors
Toronto, Ontario
Ontario/Canada Chapter
Jewel Powder Room
Third Place
Cassia Wyner, AKBD, Founder, CW Design
Brookline, MA
Northern New England Chapter
Shower Art
LIVING IN PLACE
First Place
Kendall Ansell, Principal, Kendall Ansell Interiors
Vancouver, British Columbia
British Columbia Chapter
Reed — Cote
BUILDER-REMODELER
First Place
Matthew Ferrarini, Principal Designer and Co-Founder, Ferrarini & Co.
Elkins Park, PA
Mid-Atlantic Chapter
California Dreaming
OUTDOOR KITCHEN
First Place
Elma Gardner, CMKBD, Owner and Principal Designer, By Design
Davis, CA
California Capital Chapter
Judges for the two-round competition included designers Cheryl Kees Clendenon; Peter Salerno, CMKBD; Rebekah Zaveloff, CKD; Richard Anuszkiewicz; Dawn DeLuca, AKBD, CLIPP, CAPS; Vicky Sanderson, editor, Around the House with Vicky Sanderson and DJ Carey, editorial director, CTC&G (Connecticut Cottages & Gardens).
STUDENT DESIGN COMPETITION
Also recognized at the awards ceremony were the winners of the 2019 Student Design Competition which tasked students to design either a kitchen or bath project for an imaginary 30-something couple living in San Francisco. More than 300 students submitted projects into the contest which was sponsored by Cambria.
Bath Winners
First Place – Victoria Sharkey, Front Range Community College
Second Place – Thao Mai, Georgian College
Third Place – Shaelynn Brisbourne, Lakeland College
Kitchen Winners
First Place – Emily Hartley, Lakeland College
Second Place – Allison Jones, Henry Ford College
Third Place – Kata Hayes, Front Range Community College
All of the winning students were awarded a scholarship prize.
INNOVATIVE SHOWROOM AWARDS
Awards were also presented to the winners of the NKBA Innovative Showroom Awards which recognizes the kitchen and bath industry’s most creative, innovative and experiential showrooms in North America. While there are no monetary prizes awarded to competition winners, the industry holds the Innovative Showroom Award winners in high honor as the award recognizes the creative design professionals—architects, technology integrators, designers, furniture makers and display experts—who are masters of design, marketing and sales. Congratulations to this year’s showrooms.
Best Overall Showroom
Nar Design Group
Sacramento, CA
Best Independent Showroom – Large
Signature Kitchen Suite Experience & Design Center
Napa, CA
Best Independent Showroom – Medium
Nar Design Group
Sacramento, CA
Best Independent Showroom - Small
Royal Green Appliance Center
New York, NY
Best Multi-Location Showroom – Medium
JennAir Experience Center
Best Multi-Location Showroom- Large
Kohler Signature Store by Supply New England
Natick, MA