Exhibitors can compete in seven categories
YSN Staff
The Kitchen Bath Industry Show (KBIS), one of the world’s premier platforms for major appliance introductions, is accepting nominations for its annual Best of KBIS Awards program.
Sponsored by publisher Luxe Interiors + Design, the long-standing program salutes excellence in form and function, with product submissions covering every aspect of the kitchen (as well as bath) space.
According to Bill Darcy, global president/CEO of the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA), owners of KBIS, the upcoming competition follows 2024’s record-setting number of entries. “Each year, Best of KBIS showcases how our industry is relentlessly focused on the future,” he said. “The level of competition is truly inspiring, as our exhibiting brands continually push boundaries, driving each other to new heights of excellence for the architecture and design community.”
Related: GE, Fotile Win Best of Show at KBIS 2024
Exhibitors can compete in seven Best of KBIS Awards categories that reflect the innovation, diversity and design achievements of the kitchen and bath industry. They include:
Style Statement: Kitchen: Products submitted to this category should have a focus on aesthetic value, favoring new finishes/colors, artistic collaborations and other key style features in the kitchen.
Style Statement: Bathroom: Products submitted to this category should have a focus on aesthetic value, favoring new finishes/colors, artistic collaborations and other key style features in the bath.
Sustainable Standout: This category will be judged for eco-friendly properties, i.e. energy or water conservation, carbon neutral manufacturing processes or recycled components.
Wellness Trailblazer: Standouts for wellness should deliver benefits to mental or physical wellbeing, including stress relief or connection to nature.
Game-Changing Innovation: Game-changing innovators should show new-to-market technology, new ways to manufacture materials, new-to-category advancements, or any take on “new.”
Most Functional Find: This category will look for functional benefits (particularly multi-functional use-cases), longevity and value relative to price point.
Best in Show: Simply put, this award will honor the best all-around product.
To be eligible for consideration, all products must have been introduced after January 31, 2024. To enter, exhibiting manufacturers must complete a Best of KBIS submission form and submit at least two high-resolution (300 dpi) images. Products may be entered in multiple categories but require an individual entry form and submission fee of $1,250 per entry for each category. The deadline for entries is Dec. 4, 2024.
A judging committee of design professionals, thought leaders and industry experts will narrow the entries to approximately 50 finalists, who will be announced in January 2025. The finalists will then be further winnowed by the same group of experts on site at KBIS, which will be held Feb. 25-27, 2025, at the Las Vegas Convention Center and host hotels. Each finalist will have five minutes to present their submitted product during an in-booth visit.
Gold and Silver winners will be selected in six categories while one standout product will win the Best in Show award. The winners will be revealed Feb. 26 during a live, one-hour awards ceremony on the show’s NEXTStage starting at 4 p.m. PDT.
For more information, visit kbis.com/show/best-of-kbis or call NKBA at 1-800-THE-NKBA (843-6522).