As one of six winners of the annual competition open exclusively to NKBA | KBIS student members, the burgeoning designer was awarded a scholarship.
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 remaining finalists of the Student Design Competition.
“Nostalgic Nouveau” by Cassandra Jerrems of Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, California, was awarded second place honors in the 2023-2024 Student Design Competition kitchen category for balancing the G-shape of its kitchen effectively and incorporating a practical approach to seating. 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.
“A mix of sophistication while incorporating elements of the past create a space of ‘Nostalgia Nouveau,’” Jerrems says. “Streamlined shapes and natural textures form a stylistic sanctuary to prepare meals and make memories.” Both entryways feature arches and wood paneling that nod to midcentury architecture while Fireclay ceramic tile in Feldspar used on the backsplash complements the neutral color scheme found in various art pieces throughout the kitchen. Caesarstone quartz in Aterra Blanca featuring brown veins was sourced for countertops to further match the wood tones of the cabinetry. Terrazzo from Cemento Collection in Levanzo Cream was cited for the elegant flooring lying beneath light fixtures from Cedar & Moss that add illuminative fun to the space.
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.
