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48 | Kitchen & Bath Design News January 2015 Nature and Light Embraced by Design Finalists Bright, open spaces incorporating a range of wood fnishes were the hallmark of the NKBA Design Competition fnalists for 2015. J ust as woods of all tones and textures have made their mark for the past few years at the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show, they are also taking their place in kitchens and baths across the country. Softly bright spaces flled with natural light and beautiful white and neutral tones are everywhere, with rough-hewn elements, sleek light woods and rustic outdoorsy touches such as natural stone adding balance and interest. Such was the story with the entries in the 2015 National Kitchen & Bath Design Competition. From powder rooms to oversized kitchens, wood was everywhere, displaying its natu- ral beauty and imperfect patterns. Light- to medium-toned woods were the norm, with very few dark stains and deep pigmented paints from previous years. The new woods are a bit more muted, with a little more gray; paired with creamy whites, soft blues and pale greens, the grains just seem to pop. For the bath, spa looks remain hot, with natural touches and calming design elements taking center stage. In the kitchen, bright white continues to be the color of choice when looking to pair with natural wood tones. CHOOSING WINNING ENTRIES Entries for the 2015 NKBA Design Competition are scored on fve core areas: Safety and Ergonomics, Elements & Principles of Design, Design Planning, Creativity and Presentation. Each of the industry experts selected to judge is either a Certifed Master Kitchen & Bath Designer (CMKBD) or both a Certifed Kitchen Designer (CKD) and a Certifed Bath Designer (CBD). Judges adhere to the NKBA Kitchen & Bath Planning Guidelines with Access Standards when scoring entries. Exclusive to NKBA members, this year's competition was open to projects that were installed between September 1, 2013 and August 1, 2014. The winning designers will be an- nounced at an exclusive awards event on January 19 during KBIS 2015 in Las Vegas, NV. Sponsors for this year's Design Competition included Jenn-Air, Waypoint Living Spaces, DuPont Corian/Zodiaq, GE Monogram, Delta Faucet Co., The Home Depot, HGTV, SieMatic, Wellborn Cabinet, 20-20 Technologies, Rev-A-Shelf and Häfele. COMPETITIVE ANGLES Design categories for this year's contest included: Small Kitchen (less than 150 square feet), Medium Kitchen (150- 350 square feet), Large Kitchen (more than 350 square feet), Small Bathroom (less than 55 square feet), Large Bathroom (more than 55 square feet) and Powder Room (sink and toilet required, no tub or shower). Awards will be presented to First, Second and Third Place winners in these categories. Entries were also eligible for several "Specialty Awards" including Before & After Kitchen, Before & After Bath, Budget- Friendly Kitchen, Budget-Friendly Bath, Green Design Kitchen or Bath and Universal Design Kitchen or Bath. All category winners will also be automatically considered for Best Kitchen and Bath Awards, as well as the People's Pick Kitchen and Bath Awards. Applicants primarily from the builder/remodeler segment will automatically be considered for the new Honorary Builder/ Remodeler Award, which was added this year in honor of Clay Lyon, CR, 2012 NKBA Secretary (1962-2012). On the following eight pages, Kitchen & Bath Design News provides a brief look at the fnalists in this year's NKBA Design Competition. By Anita Shaw NKBA Design Competition Medium Kitchen by Claire J. Reimann, AKBD, of Jason Good Custom Cabinets Photo: Joshua Lawrence Photography