The burgeoning designer was one of six winners of the annual competition open exclusively to NKBA | KBIS student members.
By Nicholas Tamarin
NKBA | KBIS honors the top kitchen and bath projects by the industry’s most innovative and influential designers at the annual Kitchen & Bath Design + Industry Awards. Each year, that includes the six winners of the Student Design Competition, generously sponsored by Fisher & Paykel, which awards scholarships, in both kitchen and bath categories, of $5,000 for first place, $2,500 for second, and $1,000 for third. This year, the students will be honored at the awards on Monday, February 24, 2025 in the Lafite Ballroom at Wynn Las Vegas during KBIS 2025. In the coming weeks, we’ll also be revealing details about the other five finalists of the Student Design Competition.
“Connect Four” by Meghan King of Lakeland College in Vermilion, Alberta, was awarded third place honors in the 2023-2024 Student Design Competition Kitchen Category for its excellent cooktop placement and focus on technology. Paying homage to NKBA | KBIS’s 60th anniversary, the 2023-2024 competition scenario featured a mid-century home with architectural elements common to the 1960’s. Students were tasked with updating the home’s kitchen and primary bathroom to make them more modern and functional for an active family of four. Competition participants were challenged by the small square footage of the rooms and the expectation to incorporate a mix of vintage style and touches of modern art into the finished designs.
“Connect Four” renderings, completed in SketchUp with V-Ray, feature a peninsula that opens up the counter space while also adding seating. Additional counter space at the entry includes a command center–showcasing the Control4 Smart Home automation system, a Google Home Nest Mini, and a Google Nest Thermostat E– to aid the family in managing their home and busy schedules. Meal preparation is easy and effortless using a Fisher & Paykel professional-style induction range and the manufacturer’s wall range hood with pyramid chimney. Introducing a Wolf 24-inch transitional drawer microwave within the base cabinet next to the range provides increased function and ease of use. And next to Kohler’s prolific 29-inch undermount workstation sink is Fisher & Paykel’s integrated double dishwasher drawer, which allows for two cycles to run together seamlessly. The functions of this home and its smart appliances and features will enable a family to focus more on being connected and less on the hassles of cleaning and cooking.
NKBA student members have the option to enter the upcoming kitchen competition, the bath competition, or both, crafting their designs around client requests and provided plans. Winning this prestigious competition enhances industry visibility and provides invaluable publicity and networking opportunities in addition to a complimentary KBIS registration, hotel accommodations, and round-trip airfare to attend KBIS 2026 in Orlando. Entry is free and the deadline is June 6, 2025. Submit today.
Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove underwrite the Student Chapter and Students of the Industry membership programs. Judges were Paula Smith, AKBD, the former Design Engagement Director for Fisher & Paykel; Mark Haddad, CMKBD, founder and president of Interiology in Watertown, MA; Mac Junker, CKBD, a senior designer at Chess Kitchens in Durham, NC; Rebecca Sutton, CMKBD, a residential kitchen designer at Kitchen Design Concepts in Dallas; and Jenni Russel, CMKBD, the owner of Design in Perspective in Colorado Springs, CO.
