IIDA Ohio Kentucky
2026 IIDA Ohio Kentucky Design Awards
Category List
Awards Program Dates
My Awards Program Entries
Category List
LEARN
K-12 / Higher Ed
K-12 and higher education projects in public and private institutions. These spaces include classrooms, outdoor learning environments, libraries, student commons, performing arts, labs, and athletics.
L01: Learn - K/12
L02: Learn - Higher Ed
WORK
Commercial office projects that are in the below allocated square footages, which help a corporate organization foster innovation, productivity, and employee happiness and engagement. These spaces help to embody and promote the company’s culture through the design of the built and experienced work environment.
W01: Work - Small (under 25,000 sf)
W02: Work - Large (over 25,000 sf)
LIVE
Multi-Unit Residential
Generally projects of Commercial scale that encompass areas in which a person resides., projects for multi-unit dwellings that connect people and place to create high performance communities, and projects that offer short or long-term care and lodging for the elderly population that enhances the lives of the residents while providing healthcare support. Could also include student housing.
Single-Family Residential
Projects for single-family dwellings that utilize innovative design strategies, sustainable material and furnishing selections, highly customized design components, unique and distinctive artwork commissions, etc.
L01: Live - Multi-Unit Commercial/Residential
L02: Live - Single-Family Residential
HEAL
SMALL (under 50,000 sf) / LARGE (over 50,000 sf)
Projects that promote health and well-being and consider physical, mental and emotional effects on building occupants. These spaces include hospitals, places for physical rehabilitation, recovery centers, dental offices, primary care facilities, etc.
Wellness & Retreat
Projects that promote health and well-being and consider physical, mental and emotional effects on building occupants. These spaces include nail/hair salons, med-spas, outpatient treatment and recovery facilities, fitness centers/studios.
H01: Heal - Small (under 50,000 sf)
H02: Heal - Large (over 50,000 sf)
H03: Heal - Wellness & Retreat
PLAY
Hotel (Boutique and Branded) / Restaurant or Bar / Retail
Projects that focus on hospitality, restaurant and retail environments. These can include projects that focus on spaces with overnight accommodations including hotels, motels, hostels, resorts, etc. Projects can also focus on amenity spaces within the hospitality industry such as restaurants, retail and event spaces to enhance and promote an exceptional guest experience.
P01: Play - Hotel (Boutique and Branded)
P02: Play - Restaurant or Bar
P03: Play - Retail
ENGAGE
Projects that contribute to cultural and community value through spaces such as arts, humanities and performing arts centers, community centers, places of worship, governmental or civic purposes.
E01: Engage - Non-Profit
E02: Engage - For-Profit
CREATIVE INSTALL
This category is intended to recognize manufacturers, dealers, installers, product designers, and the importance of our IIDA Industry members. While it often goes unnoticed, we want you to show off your best and most successful installations that highlight the products you proudly represent!
C01: Creative Install
STUDENT
We invite IIDA student members in good standing with the Ohio/Kentucky Chapter of the International Interior Design Association to submit their projects. Entries may be any projects designed throughout the submitting student’s freshman or sophomore years for underclassmen, and the student's junior or senior years for upperclassmen, it does not need to be their most recently completed or current project.
S01: Student Project
NOMINATIONS
N03: IIDA Career Achievement Award
The Career Achievement Award recognizes an individual whose career embodies a legacy of excellence, leadership, and enduring impact on the interior design profession. This award celebrates a distinguished senior leader whose body of work has significantly advanced the industry through innovation, mentorship, advocacy, and an unwavering commitment to design excellence. The recipient’s influence extends beyond individual projects, shaping the profession through thought leadership, service, and elevating professional standards.
Ideal candidates will have demonstrated long-standing dedication to IIDA and the design community, with a strong preference for individuals who have maintained 15 or more years of membership and have actively supported the organization’s mission and growth. Their career should reflect not only professional success but also meaningful contributions to the development of others and to the future of interior design.
Nominations may be submitted by IIDA members, non-members, or through self-nomination. The recipient will be selected by the IIDA OHKY Chapter Board and will be honored at the Ohio/Kentucky Design Awards as a lasting testament to their contributions and legacy within the profession.
N06: IIDA Advocate of the Year
The Design Advocate of the Year Award recognizes an IIDA Ohio Kentucky Chapter member who demonstrates exceptional dedication to elevating the value, visibility, and impact of interior design. This award honors an individual who champions the profession through advocacy, outreach, public engagement, and leadership—someone who uses their voice, expertise, and influence to advance design as a force for positive change in the built environment and within our communities. The recipient embodies the mission of IIDA by promoting the importance of interior design, supporting legislative and professional advancement, and inspiring others to engage in advocacy efforts.
N04: Design Firm Advocate of the Year
The Design Firm Advocate of the Year Award honors an interior design or architecture firm within the IIDA Ohio Kentucky Chapter that demonstrates exceptional commitment to advancing the interior design profession. This award recognizes a firm that actively supports advocacy initiatives, invests in the growth and visibility of interior designers, and champions the value of design within the built environment and the broader community. The recipient firm exemplifies the mission of IIDA by fostering a culture of leadership, engagement, and professional excellence.
N01: IIDA Member of the Year
The award recognizes and honors an IIDA member who has made a significant contribution to the organization or profession over the last couple of years. This person has demonstrated outstanding service, leadership, or design excellence through their commitment, passion, professionalism, and dedication to advancing the interior design profession. This may include volunteerism and service to IIDA, IDCEC, KYBOA, NCIDQ, CIDA, legislative efforts, or other similar organizations while advocating for interior design excellence in Ohio and Kentucky.
Nominations will be reviewed and selected by the IIDA OHKY Membership Committee. Recipients will receive a membership for the 2027 calendar year as a member of the IIDA OHKY Chapter, free tickets to all city center events during that year (a coupon code will be provided for the winner to use on the website at each event). The winner will also be given a spotlight on the IIDA OHKY Chapter Website. The winning candidates will be announced at the Ohio/Kentucky Design Awards in November.
Candidates can be nominated by IIDA members, non-members, or self-nominated. Only IIDA members in good standing are eligible to receive the award. Please include a current headshot with submission. Headshots of winning recipients will be used in the awards program.
N02: IIDA Student Member of the Year
The IIDA Student of the Year Award recognizes an IIDA Student Member who has made a meaningful impact on their academic interior design program through exceptional leadership, initiative, and engagement. This award celebrates a student who demonstrates a strong commitment to the profession, contributes positively to their school community, and shows promise as a future leader in interior design.
This award is open exclusively to IIDA Student Members who have been in good standing for a minimum of one year.
N05: IIDA Educator of the Year
The Educator of the Year Award honors an outstanding interior design educator within the IIDA Ohio Kentucky Chapter who demonstrates exceptional leadership, innovation, and commitment to advancing the interior design profession. This award recognizes an IIDA member who elevates design education through exemplary teaching, mentorship, academic contribution, and engagement with the broader design community. The recipient embodies the values of IIDA by fostering curiosity, critical thinking, and professional excellence in the next generation of designers.