Every year, we hear it.
‘I’m not sure where my project fits.’
‘Is it good enough?’
‘Do I have the right category?’
If you’ve been sitting on the sidelines because you can’t answer the questions above, this is your cue to get cracking.
The KBDi Design Awards aim to celebrate excellence across a variety of spaces — from small kitchens and practical laundries to outdoor entertaining areas, master suites, and highly resolved design fitouts. While each category has its own criteria, the common theme is straightforward: thoughtful design deserves recognition.
If you’ve created a space that responds beautifully to a brief, functions efficiently, and has been documented with care, chances are there’s a category for you.
Small Kitchens and Large Kitchens
Sponsored by Hettich
Kitchen entries are categorised by floor area, with Small Kitchens measuring up to and including 15 square metres, and Large Kitchens exceeding 15 square metres. In both categories, floor area calculations should include the working area, pantry or kitchen storage, and any seating or dining zones that are part of the design.
These categories are perfect for designers who want to showcase strong planning, material selections, appliance integration, storage solutions, and everyday functionality. Whether the footprint is compact or generous, judges will look for a thoughtful response to the brief — not just a pretty picture.
Kitchens Plus
Sponsored by Hettich
Some kitchens do more than facilitate cooking.
The Kitchens Plus category is intended for kitchens with adjacent and functional secondary spaces—such as a scullery, butler’s pantry, or built-in study nook. Instead of judging the kitchen alone, this category looks at how well the interconnected spaces work together and their relationship to each other.
If your project goes beyond the main kitchen area and shows a wider planning approach, this might be the best category for you.
Small Bathrooms and Large Bathrooms
Sponsored by e&s
Bathroom entries are classified by size, with Small Bathrooms measuring up to and including 8 square metres, and Large Bathrooms measuring more than 8 square metres. Floor area calculations should include the working area, and where required by the brief, the W.C. Storage should also be clearly shown in the drawings or design statement.
These categories recognise designers who can balance aesthetics, planning, and technical resolution in one of the hardest-working spaces in the home. From luxurious sanctuaries to practical family bathrooms, successful entries demonstrate that great bathroom design is never accidental.
Master Suites
Sponsored by e&s
The Master Suites category recognises projects that go beyond the bathroom alone. KBDi describes this category as a master bedroom with an adjoining or integrated bathroom and one or more additional functional spaces — such as a walk-in wardrobe, dressing room, or sitting area. Entries are judged based on the overall functionality of the suite and how well all the included spaces relate to each other.
If your project tells a bigger story about retreat, routine, and liveability, this category provides an opportunity to demonstrate how well-connected spaces can enhance daily life.
Laundries
Sponsored by Luxe by Design
No longer an afterthought, the laundry has become a category of its own.
The Laundries category is open to any domestic laundry within a residential dwelling. These areas can be small, hidden, highly practical, or multi-purpose — but all need careful planning to function effectively.
If you’ve transformed a utility zone into a hardworking, attractive and efficient space, don’t underestimate its Awards potential.
Outdoor Kitchens
Sponsored by Nero Tapware
As Australians continue to invest in outdoor living, the Outdoor Kitchens category celebrates residential kitchen spaces crafted for outdoor settings. These entries demand more than just good looks: they often showcase considerate solutions to climate, durability, appliance choices, workflow, and entertaining.
If your project proves that outdoor design can be just as polished and sophisticated as indoor spaces, this category is well worth a close look.
Design Spaces
Sponsored by CMIB
Not every outstanding project fits neatly into a kitchen or bathroom box.
The Design Spaces category is open to any design space other than a kitchen, bathroom, master suite or laundry, and may be either domestic or commercial. This could include a powder room, wardrobe fitout, home office, bar, media room, kitchenette, retail fitout, café or showroom.
This is one of the most flexible categories in the program, and a great option for designers whose work shines outside the more traditional residential categories.
Traditional or Themed Design
Sponsored by Cav’Art Designer Stone
Some projects deserve recognition not just for how well they function but also for how effectively they capture a specific style or era.
The Traditional or Themed Design category is open to domestic design spaces within a residential home, such as kitchens, bathrooms, powder rooms, bars, libraries, and wardrobes. The main requirement is that the design showcases a specific architectural style or theme, with documentation clearly showing how the design elements connect to the chosen genre. Examples might include Victorian, Federation, Tudor, Art Deco, Hollywood Spanish, or Queenslander influences.
If your project celebrates character, heritage or a strong decorative language, this category may be the perfect fit.
KBDi Certified Designer of the Year
Sponsored by New Age Veneers
For KBDi Certified Designers, there’s an added layer of opportunity.
Entries submitted in competition categories that align with the designer’s accreditation are automatically entered into the Certified Designer of the Year category, with no additional fee. In other words, eligible entries are judged twice: once in their nominated category, and again for this special award.
This category recognises the high standard of work being delivered by KBDi’s accredited professionals and adds further value to entering.
First Time Entrant
Sponsored by Blum
If you’ve never entered the KBDi Design Awards before, there’s another reason to take the leap.
First-time entrants who are deemed finalists in the initial round of judging will also be eligible for the First Time Entrant Award, alongside their nominated category. This award is open to eligible current KBDi and ACFA members who have not entered the KBDi Design Awards program since its inception.
For new entrants, it’s a great way to gain recognition while stepping into the program for the first time.
Student Awards
Sponsored by Harn Drawer Systems
The Student Award program runs alongside the main Awards and is managed through a separate Entry Pack (request your pack here). It is available to current Student Members and to recently graduated Associate or Designer Members who have completed a Student Declaration.
These Awards provide an important platform for emerging designers and a valuable first step into industry recognition.
The Big Picture
While the categories differ, the bigger picture remains the same.
The KBDi Design Awards are an opportunity to showcase your thinking, your problem-solving, your planning and your documentation. They celebrate projects that respond well to the brief, function beautifully for the end user, and demonstrate a clear, thoughtful design process.
The category structure is there to help you find the right fit — not to make the process harder.
Still Not Sure? Let’s Talk
If you’re unsure where your project belongs, you’re not alone.
The KBDi team can help you identify the most appropriate category and clarify any specific entry requirements. Sometimes the right fit is obvious; sometimes it takes a second look. Either way, it’s always worth asking. Send your questions to Selina: s.zwolsman@kbdi.org.au
Your Work Deserves to Be Seen
Every year, we see beautifully resolved projects that almost didn’t make it in.
Designers hesitate. They second-guess themselves. They assume their project is too small, too niche, too unusual — or simply not Awards-worthy.
And yet, time and again, it’s those carefully considered spaces — the ones that quietly solve problems, support everyday living and respond intelligently to a brief — that make a lasting impression.
So if you’ve been wondering whether to enter, take this as your nudge.
Find your category. Back your work. Submit the project.
Because thoughtful design deserves to be seen.
Entries close Friday, 24 April at 12:00 pm (local time) — and there’s no better time to get started. If you’ve been meaning to enter, take this as your sign. Download the Entry Pack, choose your category, and submit your project today. Need guidance? The KBDi team is here to help every step of the way.
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