Awards guide · North America
NKBA Design Competition Photo Guide: Image Rules, Deadlines and How to Enter
For entrants planning the photography for NKBA Design Competition (2027 Design Awards at KBIS). Checked against National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA)’s published rules on November 1, 2026.
The NKBA Design Competition is the National Kitchen & Bath Association’s award for residential kitchens, bathrooms and specialty spaces, open to members and non-members who are the designer of record. Entries for the 2027 competition closed October 28, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET, and winners are named at KBIS 2027 in Las Vegas on February 1, 2027. Round 1 is judged on just 2 “wow factor” photos at 300 dpi, with no firm names, project location or people in any image.
At a glance
| NKBA Design Competition | |
|---|---|
| Organiser | National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA); winners are recognised at the Design & Industry Awards during KBIS |
| Who can enter | The individual designer of record on each project, with up to two co-designers. NKBA membership is not required. If the entrant does not own the business that billed the project, the owner must approve the entry. |
| Eligible projects | Residential kitchens and bathrooms installed between January 1, 2025 and August 27, 2026 (2027 competition) |
| Entry platform | Awards platform (kbdia.awardsplatform.com) |
| Fee | Members: US$175 first project, US$150 second, US$100 each after. Non-members: US$225, US$200, then US$175 each. Each project needs its own entry and fee. Fees are not refunded on disqualification. |
| Prizes | Category places: US$5,000, US$2,000 and US$1,000. Best Overall Kitchen and Best Overall Bath: US$25,000 each, plus US$25,000 if the winner is an NKBA Certified Designer. |
| Next deadline | Not published. The 2027 competition closed October 28, 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET. |
Source: NKBA Design Competition page, 2027 Design Competition Official Entry Packet.
Key dates
| Date | |
|---|---|
| Entry deadline (2027 competition) | October 28, 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET (the entry packet printed October 11, 2026) |
| Round 1 judging | October 29 – November 2, 2026 |
| Round 2 judging (tentative) | November 3 – 15, 2026 |
| Design & Industry Awards | February 1, 2027, Encore Theater, Las Vegas (KBIS 2027); doors 6 p.m., awards 7 p.m. |
Photo requirements
| Rule | |
|---|---|
| Size and resolution | High-resolution colour photos at 300 dpi, approximately 8 × 10 in. |
| How many | Round 1: 2 “wow factor” photos. Round 2 (finalists only): up to 8 more, for 10 in total. |
| Logos, names and people | Blind judging: all designer and firm information must be omitted, removed or blacked out of photos, floor plans, elevations and design statements. No images that identify the project location or show people such as clients, children or site workers. |
| File names | Materials must be labelled according to NKBA directions; each entry uses a Project ID that includes the category abbreviation. No detailed file-naming scheme is printed in the packet. |
| Credit and permissions | A Photography Release Form, signed by the photographer, goes in with Round 1 (judges do not see it). It gives NKBA a non-exclusive right to use, crop or alter the photos to promote NKBA, and NKBA gives a photo credit when it publishes. Round 2 adds a Client Property Release Form and a Business Owner Form. |
| Professional photography | NKBA highly recommends professional photography. |
Categories
Ten categories in three groups: Kitchen (Small under 300 sq. ft., Large 300 sq. ft. and over), Bath (Powder Room, Small Bath under 100 sq. ft., Primary Bath 100 sq. ft. and over) and five Specialty categories (Laundry Room, Product Integration for Kitchen or Bath, Kitchen Wellness Integration, Bath Wellness Integration, CEDIA Smart Home Integration). Best Overall Kitchen and Bath are chosen from the first-place category winners.
How to enter
- Read the 2027 entry packet and the NKBA Kitchen & Bath Planning Guidelines.
- Register on the awards platform and start one entry per project, with a Project ID that includes the category abbreviation.
- Fill in every tab, add up to two co-designers, and pay the entry fee.
- Upload 2 “wow factor” photos, a two-sentence design description and the signed Photography Release Form.
- If the project advances, upload up to 8 more photos, a 200–400 word design statement, scaled drawings (¼ in, ½ in or 1:20 metric), the client and business-owner forms, and a headshot and bio.
How entries are judged
- Scored on creativity, presentation, design planning, elements and principles of design, safety and ergonomics, and the NKBA Planning Guidelines.
- Round 1 reviews creativity, innovation and wow factor from the Round 1 materials (2 photos and a two-sentence description); the packet lists media as the Round 1 judges.
- Round 2 is judged by NKBA Certified designers; the packet adds media and industry professionals.
- Judges do not know who designed the projects. Missing materials or identifying information can lead to disqualification without notice.
Planning the photography
- Choose the two strongest frames first: Round 1 is decided on 2 photos, and the other 8 are only asked for if the project advances.
- Deliver files at 300 dpi for an 8 × 10 in print, which works out to about 2,400 × 3,000 pixels.
- Shoot without people and keep street views, house numbers and other location clues out of frame, since images that identify the location or individuals are not allowed.
- Remove or avoid logos, signage and firm names in every image: identifying design or firm information must be blacked out.
- Have the photographer sign the NKBA Photography Release Form before the deadline; it allows NKBA to crop or alter the photos.
Not in the published rules
As of November 1, 2026 the organiser’s public documents do not state:
- Dates and fees for the next (2028) competition
- Required file format and maximum file size
- Orientation rules
- Rules on editing, virtual staging, renderings or AI-generated images
- A required shot list
- Whether entrants or projects outside the United States are eligible (the packet says only that it is open to all industry professionals designing kitchen and bath spaces)
Check the entry platform or ask the organiser before the shoot.
How I photograph awards entries
I’m an architectural and interior photographer based in Richmond, working across Metro Vancouver and, with published travel fees, the rest of BC. For an awards entry the brief comes from the rules:
- A shot list built from the categories you are entering, with an image for each thing the judges score.
- Real spaces, no virtual staging, and edits limited to normal correction of exposure, colour and verticals.
- Files delivered to the programme’s spec: files exported to the NKBA Design Competition rules (High-resolution colour photos at 300 dpi, approximately 8 × 10 in).
- A ready credit line (“Photography: Travis Zhang”) and a licence that covers the organiser’s promotional use of winning images.
- Published prices: CA$1,100 for a half day with 12 finished images, or CA$2,000 for a full day with 20 images including twilight, plus 5% GST. Details are in the cost guide.
Frequently asked questions
How many photos does the NKBA Design Competition need?
The NKBA Design Competition asks for 2 “wow factor” photos in Round 1. Projects that advance to Round 2 add up to 8 more, for 10 photos in total, all colour at 300 dpi and about 8 × 10 in.
When is the NKBA Design Competition deadline?
Entries for the 2027 NKBA Design Competition closed October 28, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Winners are announced at the Design & Industry Awards at KBIS 2027 in Las Vegas on February 1, 2027, and the next call has not been published.
How much does it cost to enter the NKBA Design Competition?
For the 2027 NKBA Design Competition, NKBA members paid US$175 for a first project, US$150 for a second and US$100 for each after that. Non-members paid US$225, US$200 and US$175 per additional entry.
Can people or the designer’s name appear in NKBA Design Competition photos?
No. The NKBA Design Competition is judged blind, so designer and firm information must be removed or blacked out of photos, plans and statements. Images that identify the project location or show individuals such as clients, children or site workers are not allowed.
This guide summarises National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA)’s published rules and is not affiliated with National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA). The official documents take precedence.