Bauformat Canada is a cabinetry company serving Toronto and the GTA with the exclusive line of German cabinetry. Along with their design and construction partners, they offer a wide array of products and services including design and installation of the cabinetry, custom lighting elements, and other millwork offerings. We recently shot this condo renovation in downtown Toronto that features their work throughout the entire unit.  

The modern European cabinetry line shines in kitchen design, with many options including B45 line which offers specialty inserts for cupboards and drawers to create additional storage and organization. We made sure to shoot some of those features to illustrate the functionality they offer.

The bedroom includes ample storage in the form of custom cabinetry. The design features clean lines, warm wood elements, and custom lighting, giving this space a hotel-style feel.

Space is a premium in most condos, so we took some time to photograph the customizations in this project. The sleek storage solutions in the bathrooms are super functional and the powder room doubles as a laundry room!

If you offer interior design, cabinetry design, millwork, decorating or other design-build services and have a project you’re interested in photographing, let’s connect!

Melanie Kushner Interiors is a Toronto-based Interior Designer. This project in west-end Toronto was primarily a decorating job where Mealnie went in and worked with the homeowner to select furniture, upgrade some lighting and develop gallery wall groupings that worked within the existing space’s colours and finishes.

We photographed a back entrance, living room, and dining room to showcase the new updates. 

 For styling the entryway, Melanie added a simple structured black bag and pair of boots. This is a great way to add a lifestyle element to a shot. She also brought in a few ceramic decor pieces that played well with new console.  

In the dining room, we focused on the new chairs, table and lighting. Keeping things simple, black and white decor pieces again help tie the space together and have a consistent feel with the rest of the shots.

I love seeing how designers work within existing spaces to create a cohesive and elevated look the way Melanie did in this home!

If you are an interior designer, decorator, homebuilder or architect and have a project you’re interested in photographing, let’s connect!

Dochia Interior Design

Submitting projects to industry awards can be part of an effective marketing plan and a great way to use the professional photography you’ve captured of your projects.

One of the main draws for entering and winning awards is the extensive reach and PR that these awards can offer. This can help you level up in terms of credibility and help secure higher-paying clients with larger budgets. Other benefits include networking opportunities, website placement that offer back links (great for SEO), news to share on social media and in newsletters, and affiliation with reputable industry organizations.

Certificates, trophies, cash prizes, awards ceremonies, and galas are some of the other perks depending on the award!


Stand out amongst the competition.


Take some time to assess which awards best suit your current goals. Local awards are great for local visibility  - where your potential clients are more likely to see. Larger international wins are great for recognition and getting a next-level of client or type of project. Be thoughtful about which projects you submit to attract your ideal client.
Review the opportunities in terms of the types of projects they accept, past winners, and the judging criteria. See what organizations you belong to that offer awards, these might be smaller pools of submissions and provide a higher potential of winning. Submitting to awards can be time-consuming and costly. It’s advisable to choose a select few to focus on.

Review early if you want to consider submitting, here are some things to keep in mind:

• Deadlines and early bird pricing.
  
• Eligibility in terms of the period in which the project needs to have been completed.
  
• Number and types of images you’ll need to include. Review this when planning your photoshoot shot list. Some also require before or progress ‘during’ images and may need to match in terms of vantage point or orientation.
  
• Other supporting details you’ll need to include or prepare such as project descriptions, suppliers, and copies of drawings.
  
• Consider starting a file to assemble what you’ll need so it’s all in one place once submission time comes around.

Angela Cachia Design

Here is a list of just some of the many industry awards to consider!

Local, National, and Membership Based Awards

ARIDO - Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario

ARIDO is the professional body for interior designers in Ontario.
“The ARIDO Awards Gala continues to be the industry’s premier design awards event in Ontario.”

Past categories have included a mix of commercial and residential spaces titled Gather + Play, Live, Live together, shop, Preserve + Restore, Distinct and Craft. Winners receive promotion on AIRDO’s website and social media, as well as presentation at an awards gala.

Eligibility: Members of ARIDO, projects must fall within a specific completion period.

Image Requirements: Past requirements included up to 10 final project images, entrants may include up to 10 ‘before’ images (where applicable).

Deadlines: Currently closed, check back for the next round.

Review the full details here.

Decorating & Design Competition - DDA Canada

“The Decorators & Designers Association of Canada is a Canadian professional association that elevates the decorating and design industry through education, events, training, advocacy and community building.”

The annual awards recognize decorating and design excellence in Canada in a variety of different categories and is open to all accredited members and students enrolled in recognized decorating programs in Canada. Benefits include increased credibility in the industry, with coverage in local, industry and social media. Categories include Whole Home Design, Interior Decoration, Kitchen & Bath Design, Commercial Design, People’s Choice, Influencer Choice.

Eligibility: Open to all accredited members of DDA Canada.

Image Requirements: Members can see the full list of requirements by logging into their Awards Force Account via the DDA website.

Deadline: March 26, 2023

Review the full details here.

Ontario Home Builders’ Association’s Awards of Distinction

“Honouring building excellence across the province of Ontario. This program recognizes the creativity, innovation and talent of land developers, builders, renovators, designers, and marketers within our dynamic industry.”

Past categories have included Architecture Design, Renovation (Home or Condo), Room Design, Image & Advertising, On-site Sales Presentation, Innovation and Prestige Awards.

Eligibility: Any member in good standing with the Ontario Home Builders’ Association. Projects must be completed within a set timeframe.

Image Requirements: Depending on the categories, requirements range from a minimum of 3 images and up to 10 images in some categories. Before and after images for renovation categories should be from the same vantage point and orientation.

Deadline: Check back for the next awards period.

Review the full details here.  

CHBA National Awards for Housing Excellence - Canadian Home Builders Association

“The CHBA National Awards for Housing Excellence competition recognizes the best in Canadian new homes, renovations, community development, and residential marketing.”

Past categories have included New Homes, New Home Spaces, Home Renovation, Net Zero Homes, Design Excellence, Marketing and Community Development.

Eligibility: Home builders, renovators and developers who are members of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association. Check back for details, but projects completed from April 2022 onwards should be eligible for the next entry period.

Image Requirements: They emphasize that professional photography has a huge impact on how judges view the entries and often influences final scores. For renovation categories, they encourage you to shoot before and after images from the same vantage point to help judges understand transformations.

Deadline: The next awards period entries will start being accepted in Fall 2023

Review the full details here. 

Renomark Awards - BILD GTA

“The Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD) is the voice of the home building, residential and non-residential land development and professional renovation industries in the Greater Toronto Area.”

Winners are announced at an Awards Luncheon at the National Home Show. There are multiple categories for Renovation and Custom Home Build Projects.

Eligibility: BILD members with renovation and custom home build projects are eligible, projects must be completed within a set time frame. The “Custom Home” category is open to HCRA registered builders only.

Image Requirements: Vertical and horizontal images are accepted. Before, during and after photos are required depending on the category.

Deadline: Closed at this time, the previous deadline was the end of January.

Review the full details here.

Canadian Interiors Best of Canada Awards

“Canada’s only design competition focusing on interior design projects and products without regard to size, budget or location. Submissions are welcome from interior designers, architects, landscape architects, decorators, crafts persons and design students.”  All winners will be published in the Awards issue of Canadian Interiors in November, with the Project of the Year winner featured on the cover of the Awards issue. Categories include Retail, Residence, Office, Marketing, Institutional, Hospitality, Product, Exhibit and Single Detail.

Eligibility: The project must be either located in Canada, or an international project where a member of the design team is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. Projects must have been completed between June, 2021 and August, 2023.

Image Requirements: 6- 10 images included per submission.

Deadlines: Submission open May 1, 2023 - Sept 6, 2023.

Review the full details here.

Value of Design Awards - Interior Designers of Canada

“IDC’s Value of Design Awards (VODA) shine a spotlight on Canadian interior designers by providing a forum to showcase the benefits of design thinking: an empathetic, inventive, and iterative process focused on the human experience within interior spaces.”

Award winners receive extensive PR and an Awards Celebration. Categories include Innovation in Healthcare Design, Workplace Design, Retail Design, Hospitality Design, Institutional/Educational/Civic Design, Residential Multi-Family Design, Residential Single Family Design, and Design Thinking.

Eligibility: Projects must have one or more IDC member(s) as the lead designer(s). Interior design projects must have been completed between January 2021 and December 2022. 

Image Requirements: Maximum of 6 images. 

Deadline: April 28, 2023.

Review the full details here.

“Best of” Lists

Consider also what “Best of” lists you may be eligible for. Many local newspapers have annual contests voted by the public. Some web-based platforms such as Houzz and HomeStars also award members annually based on client reviews and popularity of project images.

Melanie Kushner Interiors

International Design Awards

Kitchen Design Contest - Wolf, Sub Zero and Cove Appliances

“Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove are the refrigeration, cooking and dishwashing specialists found in world’s most luxurious homes, dedicated to helping create functional, flexible and beautiful kitchens.”

This contest is free to enter but designs must feature specified minimum number and types of products of the appliance brands listed. Winners receive cash prizes, invitation and travel accommodations to a summit and gala and a feature on their site. There are several categories that can be entered based on size and type of project.

Eligibility: Residential projects only with specific requirements of Wolf, Sub Zero and Cove Appliances’ products. Projects must have been completed in 2022 or 2023.

Image Requirements: A minimum of 3 images.

Deadline: End of January 2024.

Review the full details here.

Best of KBIS Awards - National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA)

“The NKBA is the leading trade association for the kitchen and bath industry providing tools, research, certification, and events to thousands of professionals. 

Best of KBIS Awards rewards the winners with $100,000 in cash prizes and national recognition.” Categories include Bath, Kitchen, Connected Home Technology, and Best in Show.

Eligibility: Open to all industry participants servicing kitchen
and bath spaces. There is a reduced rate for member entry. Projects must be completed within a specified period.

Image Requirements: Up to 10 high res. images.

Deadlines: Check back to see when the next entries open.

Review the full details here. 

SBID Interior Design Awards - The Society of British and International Interior Design

“The annual SBID Awards programme serves to recognise, reward and celebrate design excellence across a broad range of interior sectors. Shining a spotlight on the outstanding interior designers, product designers, and contractors that shape the future of the interior design profession and the world we live in.” 

Complimentary inclusion in the SBID Global Interior Design book as well as extensive PR, social media coverage and brand exposure throughout the year are just some of the perks. Categories for Interior Design, Product Design and Interior Fit-Out.

Eligibility: Open to any design professional from interior designers, architects and property
developers, to contractors, fit-out specialists, manufacturers, and product designers.

Image Requirements: Up to 10 images, the main feature image must be in landscape format.

Deadline: Submissions are open until June 30, 2023.

Review the full details here. 

Blt - Built Design Awards

“BLT Built Design Awards recognize and honor the expertise of all professionals involved in the realization of outstanding projects, on a global basis — from architecture firms and interior design experts to construction products and landscape architecture”

Categories include Architecture, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture and Construction Products. Benefits include PR, book press, logo, certificate, an invitation to winner’s evening, and winner badge to include on promotional materials.

Eligibility: Submissions are accepted from anywhere in the world, projects must be no more than five years old.

Image Requirements: Up to 10 images, before and after images if applicable (renovation or restoration).

Deadline: June, 30th, 2023.

Review the full details here. 

A few more international awards to consider:

• Dezeen Awards by Dezeen Magazine
• Loop Design Awards
• Design Et al - The International Design &
 Architecture Awards
• The ArchDaily 2023 Building of the Year Awards
  

id One Inc.

If you are looking to capture some award-worthy projects let’s connect! I’d love to be a part of making your design work stand out amongst the competition.