As one of six winners of the annual competition open exclusively to NKBA | KBIS student members, the burgeoning designer was awarded a scholarship.
NKBA | KBIS honors the industry’s most innovative emerging designers through its annual Design + Industry Awards, which include recognition of the six winners of the Student Design Competition, generously sponsored by Fisher & Paykel. Scholarship awards include $5,000 for first place, $2,500 for second place, and $1,000 for third place. Winners will be celebrated on Monday, February 16, from 6:30 PM to 11:00 PM at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando during KBIS 2026.
This year, Cranberry Bloom by Montgomery College’s Kateryna Ponomarova earned Third Place in the Bath Category, standing out for its poetic blend of historic craftsmanship, accessibility, and thoughtful guest-centered design. The project reimagines the primary guest bath of a 1895 Craftsman bungalow in Colorado Springs, owned by retired anthropology professor Lydia Bachman, who values comfort, hospitality, and the honest beauty of traditional artistry.
A Bathroom Where Craftsmanship Meets Care
Inspired by the visionary spirit of American craft, Ponomarova envisioned a small, conventional bathroom transformed into a serene, contemporary sanctuary. Her design is guided by two core principles: prioritizing accessibility and enhancing user experience.
The layout was developed with Lydia’s guests in mind, including those who use mobility aids. Ponomarova incorporated a zero-threshold shower, proper lavatory knee clearance, strategically placed assist bars, and a clear turning radius space of 60 inches — all while maintaining a sense of visual openness.
Materiality and atmosphere play central roles. Natural, honest finishes honor Craftsman traditions: clean lines, layered horizontals, and textures inspired by nature. A bold soffit canopy creates a sense of “compression and release” at the shower entry before opening into a light-filled bay window nook. Beneath the user’s feet, slip-resistant matte porcelain tile provides safety, while its soft stone coloring reflects daylight to brighten the compact footprint. Radiant floor heating ensures comfort during Colorado’s colder months.
Design Challenges
Ponomarova’s submission successfully addressed several constraints presented in the project scenario:
- Designing within an 82 sq ft footprint (expanded from 41 sq ft) while preserving required accessible clearances.
- Planning two entrances to serve both the guest room and main living areas, necessitating widened 36” doorways to meet NKBA standards.
- Providing a spa-like guest experience without compromising the integrity of the historic home or adjacent spaces.
- Introducing a north-facing bay window to gain approximately eight sq ft, engineered to support fixtures, maintain privacy with smart glass, and deliver soft natural light throughout the day.
- Enhancing guest privacy by integrating Fisher & Paykel appliances, including a CoolDrawer™ and a built-in coffee maker, so that guests can refresh without a trip upstairs.
Special Features
A series of custom and high-performance details elevate the guest experience:
- 48” Compact Laminate Cabinet featuring integrated Fisher & Paykel appliances, dual-height toe kicks, and accessible controls at 52” AFF.
- Handcrafted 60” Soapstone Lavatory with integrated basin, 29” knee clearance, and an 11” forward extension meeting NKBA accessibility standards.
- Brizo Frank Lloyd Wright® Collection rain showerhead and faucet, adding mid-century elegance and sculptural detail.
- Electro-chromic Smart Glass Mirror that shifts from transparent to reflective on demand, maximizing natural light.
- Kohler Eir® Smart Toilet, ADA-compliant with chair-height seating, dual flush, and integrated personal cleansing.
- Custom Teak Shower Bench, wall-mounted with sculpted support and a waterproof cushioned surface for comfort and added height.
The result is a bathroom where form evokes memory—a thoughtful intersection of past and present that reflects Lydia’s values while offering her guests restorative comfort.
About the NKBA | KBIS Student Design Competition
The NKBA Student Design Competition allows emerging designers to showcase their talent on an industry-wide stage and gain invaluable visibility. Winning entries are recognized at KBIS, featured in NKBA editorial content, and awarded scholarships.
How to Enter
- Open exclusively to NKBA Student Members enrolled in an educational institution at the time of submission.
- Students may enter the kitchen competition, the bath competition, or both.
- Entries must follow NKBA Graphics & Presentation Standards and include dimensioned drawings, renderings, a concept board, and a 500–1000-word design statement.
- Projects must be submitted through Award Force, where students can upload, edit, and finalize materials.
Submission Deadline:
June 5, 2026, at 5:00 PM ET
Incomplete entries will be disqualified.
Awards:
- First Place — $5,000
- Second Place — $2,500
- Third Place — $1,000
Winners also receive complimentary registration, airfare, hotel accommodations, and access to KBIS 2027 in Las Vegas.
Competition Scenario: 2025–2026 — “The Great Indoors: Texas Edition”
This year’s participants are tasked with reimagining the kitchen and primary bath of the Williams-Garcia family home in Dallas’s Preston Hollow neighborhood. The challenge invites students to design for a bustling household of five that values hospitality, family connection, and high-functioning spaces for cooking, gathering, and retreat.
Students must balance bold style, functionality, accessibility, and clever space-planning to create environments that support the family today — and adapt gracefully for years to come.
