NKBA | KBIS Honors Winners of 2026 Design Competition at KBIS

NKBA Staff

Posted: Feb 16, 2026 10:47 pm

KBIS 2026 News

Winners of the prestigious NKBA Design Competition took home more than $100,000 in prize money at KBIS in February.

Center: Best Overall Bath Winner, Shea Pumarejo, CMKBD.

By NKBA Staff

Luxurious surfaces, dramatic lighting, abundant storage and striking use of color characterized the winning projects in NKBA’s 2025-2026 professional Design Competition. NKBA revealed the winners at the Design & Industry Awards gala the night before KBIS 2026 opened.

Designers competed in three kitchen and three bath categories, plus a new classification for smart-home technology, in cooperation with CEDIA, the technology integrator association:

Large Kitchen (over 300 square feet)
Small Kitchen (under 300 square feet)
Specialty Kitchen
Primary Bathroom
Secondary Bathroom
Powder Room
CEDIA Smart Home Technology, which honored a designer and an integrator.

Cash prizes included $5,000 for first place, $3,000 for second place, and $2,000 for third place in each category. Best Overall Bath and Best Overall Kitchen winners each took home a grand prize of $25,000. Another new feature this year awarded a $25,000 bonus if either of the Best Overall winners is an NKBA-certified designer.

Judges, all CMKBD certified, included:

For the bath category:

Rachel Hutchens, CMKBD, Maven Home Interiors, West Jordan, Utah
Megan Siason Elliott, CKBD, M Studio Interior Design, San Diego
Andrew Risinger, CMKBD, Kitchen, Bath and Home, Dallas

For the kitchen category:

Polly Nunes, CMKBD, Polly Nunes Designs, Torrence, Ca.
Elma Gardner, CMKBD, By Design Studio, Davis, Ca.
Candace Rudd, CMKBD, Two-30-Nine by Décor, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Best Overall Kitchen

1^st Place, Large Kitchen; 1^st Place, Specialty Kitchen

“The Castle Kitchen”

Designer: Kate Roos, Kate Roos Design, Minneapolis, Minn.

Co-designers: Nicole Sirek, Nancy Baker, Leah Dunne

Minnesota State Chapter

Photos by Spacecrafting Photography

This stunning “Castle Kitchen” design earned three first-place honors, for specialty kitchen, large kitchen, and Best Overall Kitchen. Respecting the 1903 provenance of the historic mansion, the designers incorporated dramatic elements including stone arches, an oversized island and a full-height marble backsplash. Luxe finishes, 14 state-of-the-art appliances and custom cabinetry, carefully scribed into the rock-faced limestone walls, restore and modernize the space. Hidden channels and cavities keep plumbing and electrical lines from disturbing the original stone walls, while unique details like a hand-gilded mirror, an antiqued-brass range hood and walnut cabinetry inserts add elegance befitting the grandeur of this turn-of-the-century home.

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Best Overall Bath

1^st Place, Primary Bath

“Paris After Dark”

Designer: Shea Pumarejo, CMKBD*, Younique Designs, San Antonio, Texas

Texas South Plains Chapter

Photos by Armando Vara, Armando Vara Photography

*Certification earned an additional $25,000 for Best Overall winner.

Shea Pumarejo, CMKBD, created a luxurious Parisian Art Deco-style retreat, drawing inspiration from the home’s French architecture and the clients’ love of bold, elegant design. The focal point is an LED-backlit onyx bathtub surround that glows like sculpture, echoed in the countertops and backsplash for continuity and drama. A custom-designed marble tile floor grounds the space, while a Venetian glass fixture sparkles overhead, enhancing the sense of glamour. The designer included an aromatherapy steam shower, custom cabinetry with hidden storage solutions, unlacquered brass fixtures and hardware that will age with character, and operable transoms reminiscent of European design traditions.

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2^nd Place, Large Kitchen

“Stoney Wylde”

Designer: Peter Cardamone, Bluebell Fine Cabinetry & Design, Wayne, Pa.

Co-designer: Brittany Hakimfar

Mid-Atlantic Chapter

Photos by Brian Wetzel, Brian Wetzel Photo

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3^rd Place, Large Kitchen

“Weathered Ridge”

Designer: Megan Tennant, Forte Design Studios, Olympic Valley, Ca.

Rocky Mountain Chapter

Photos by Nic Rentfrow

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2^nd Place, Primary Bathroom

“Fifty Shades of Green”

Designer: Gina D’Amore Bauerle, D’Amore Interiors, Denver

Rocky Mountain Chapter

Photos by Eric Lucero, Eric Lucero Photography

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3^rd Place, Primary Bathroom

“Desert Dream”

Designer: Lori Caroll, Lori Carroll & Associates, Tucson, Ariz.

Co-designer: Debra Gelety

Arizona South Chapter

Photos by Jon Mancuso, Jon Mancuso Media

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1^st Place, Small Kitchen

“The Veined Vision”

Designer: Lindsay Wolfe-Assaf, The Home Stylist, Manotick, Ontario

Co-designer: The Cabinet Connection

Ottawa Chapter

Photos by Justin Van Leeuwen, JVL Photography

Black, white, and rich oak cabinets throughout this winning design provide tons of storage and serve as a foundation for the veined porcelain countertops and backsplash. The bold veining pattern, which also surrounds the vent hood, is a dramatic focal point.

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2^nd Place, Small Kitchen

“Kendrick”

Designer: Jerel Lake, LakeHaus Designs, Atlanta, Ga.

Georgia Chapter

Photos by Mark Mauldin, Mark Mauldin Photography

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3^rd Place, Small Kitchen

“Going for the Gold”

Designer: Ann Gaeta, RJ Builders, Shorewood, Wisc.

Wisconsin/Upper Michigan Chapter

Photos by Hayley McCormick, Hayley McCormick Photographs

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1^st Place, Powder Room

“Full Moon”

Designer: Gina D’Amore Bauerle, D’Amore Interiors, Denver

Rocky Mountain Chapter

Photos by Eric Lucero, Eric Lucero Photography

This intentionally moody space features deep teal walls and ceiling painted to match the concrete sink, walnut wall slats provide architectural interest, and the matte black porcelain tile and faucet add to the sophisticated ambience. A repurposed floating vanity contributes to the asymmetrical nature of the design.

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2^nd Place, Powder Room

“Island Jewel”

Designer: David Heide, David Heide Design Studio, Saint Paul, Minn.

Co-designer: Tam Ngo

Minnesota State Chapter

Photos by Richard Michell

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3rd Place, Powder Room

“Where the Wild Things Are”

Designer: Gina D’Amore Bauerle, D’Amore Interiors, Denver

Rocky Mountain Chapter

Photos by Eric Lucero, Eric Lucero Photography

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1^st Place, Secondary Bathroom

“Sprice Basement Retreat”

Designer: Lindsay Winterbottom, Novero Homes and Renovations Ltd., Port Coquitlam, British Columbia

Photos by Allan Laing, ALP Photography

Inspired by the clients’ frequent travels and affinity for world-class hotels, this design transformed a basement into an elegant retreat with a spa bathroom featuring premium details: an infrared sauna, Calacatta Vagli marble, walk-in shower, gold-finished Brizo fixtures and accessories, and heated bench and floors.

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2nd Place, Secondary Bathroom

“The Gilded Glade”

Designer: Betsy Johnson, Crystal Kitchen + Bath, Crystal, Minn.

Minnesota State Chapter

Photos by Rob Grosse, Spacecrafting Photography

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3rd Place, Secondary Bathroom

“The Quartz Chamber”

Designer: Jaque Bethke, Jaque, Scottsdale, Ariz.

Arizona Chapter

Photos by Phil Johnson, Phil Paul Photography

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CEDIA Smart Home Tech Award

“Nordhaus”

Design Firm: Stockwell Homes, Edina, Minn.

Designer: Jen Stockwell

Minnesota State Chapter

Tech Firm: Lelch Audio Video, Minnetonka, Minn.

Integrator: Alex Lelchuk

Photos by Bo Carlock, Spacecrafting Photography

Designer and integrator collaborated to create distinct but interconnected zones for cooking, dining, entertaining, and daily living. Layered lighting sets the mood, with over 250 feet of concealed tape lighting integrated into beams that transform the ceiling into a glowing canopy. A NetZero water vapor fireplace provides ambiance without emissions or pollutants.

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