Competition Rules

The overall purpose of this event is to honor and give local recognition to the Ottawa area designers and companies in the design, construction, fabrication and manufacturing of kitchen and bathrooms. This recognition of talent will expose these contributors to the general population and allow them to choose whom they may wish to do future projects with.

In the event a category has low number of entrants the NKBA Design Excellence Gala Committee reserves the right to combine entries into similar categories (bathrooms with bathrooms, kitchens with kitchens) to maintain the element of competition. The judges have the option to re-categorize combined entries

Process

Submit a completed Application Form, Photo Release, Employer Release, and Client Release Documents along with your payment for the appropriate category that “best” suits your project.

  • Each submission will be checked by a non-competing member of the NKBA Ottawa Chapter DEA Committee to verify eligibility and package criteria completion. In the event, an entrant has included information that is outside of the defined criteria an opportunity will be provided to correct the documents up to the final deadline. If the entry does not meet the criteria it will be removed from the competition.
  • Deadline to Reserve submission(s) with payment and Category Selections –
    • Early Bird Deadline: December 31, 2022 @ 5:00 pm.
    • Final Application Deadline: 11:59pm, February 28, 2023. This submission is to include your Application + Payment + Category(s). You will receive a confirmation of payment and receipt.
  • Deadline for Project Submission – 11:59pm, February 28, 2023 (electronic submission for: PHOTOS, DRAWINGS, STATEMENT & RELEASE DOCUMENTS added to your entry profile on the Awardify platform). Make sure ALL photos meet the requirements (see below for details)
  • All winning entries will be featured at the NKBA Ottawa Chapter Design Excellence Awards (DEA) Gala on May 6, 2023 at the National Arts Centre. The final purchase date for Gala tickets is April 21, 2023 at 11:59pm.

Eligibility, includes but is not limited to:

  • The competition is open to all current NKBA Ottawa Chapter members (individuals, individuals of companies).
  • All entrants must be members in good standing at the time of application submission and throughout the duration of the competition (up to and including May 6th, 2023). Any entrants found to not have a current membership will be required to bring their membership status up to date immediately, in order to continue in the competition and not be disqualified.
  • Any Co-submissions must have a current NKBA Ottawa Chapter Membership if this year is NOT their first year as a co-submitter. Any non-NKBA member Co-Submitter(s) will not be eligible for further (after current years' competition) submissions until they become an NKBA Ottawa Chapter Member. Co-submitters must provide a history of projects submitted in previous NKBA DEA awards.
  • NKBA volunteers and committee members are not restricted from entering the competition.
  • All entries must be sold and installed in the NKBA Ottawa Chapter Area/Region. For more details of the NKBA Ottawa Chapter Region which includes the 613/343, 819, 514/438, 450/579 area codes (see map for clarification. Projects submitted from outside of the region will be disqualified (i.e. Florida, Toronto, etc.). The original bill of sale for the project may be requested upon confirmation of final submission to verify category criteria eligibility.
  • No company or designer information will be allowed on any entry documents except for the application form. Entries will be disqualified if information identifying the designer, designer's company, client name or project address on the entry material including photos and photo names.
  • Project Names must NOT include client names, street names or any other information that can reference the identity of a project.
  • All eligible projects must have been completed between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022. All others will be disqualified.
  • There is a maximum of THREE entries per designer (total) and a limit of ONE entry per category. In the event that two categories are being blended (due to low entry) and a designer has an entry in each of the categories being combined both entries can remain unless the designer would like to select another category (must meet the criteria) or withdraw one of the entries (refund provided)

Photos

  • Must NOT include logos, people, or pets.
  • Should be high resolution
  • Must NOT include the name of the client or location of the project in the file name
  • Show the project from all angles
  • Before and After categories MUST include a “BEFORE” photo (minimum of 1 photo)
  • The project must be completed between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022 and be within the NKBA Ottawa Chapter Region (including the 613/343 area code, Gatineau 819/873, Montreal 514/438 and 450/579).

Deadline for entries:

Application/Submission Deadlines: (Application, Payment, Category(ies) selection)

  • Early Bird Savings: December 31, 2022 @ 5:00 pm
  • Final Application Deadline: January 31, 2023 @ 5:00 pm
  • Project Submission Deadline February 28, 2023 @ 11:59 pm (electronic submission through Awardify Platform of ALL Photos, Drawings, Statement & Release Documents)
  • Failure to comply with the above requirements may result in disqualification
  • All entries must be submitted by the designer on record ONLY. If a co-designer, collaborator, cabinet designer or any other involved in the project must be authorized or submitted by the original creator of the design. If an entry is discovered to have been falsely submitted the entrant will be banned from future competition (up to 5 years), and may have their NKBA membership revoked (based on NKBA Code of Ethics and further investigation). The NKBA, NKBA Ottawa Chapter, and the Design Excellence Awards Committee will not tolerate any misrepresentation of designs, breach of intellectual property or circumstance of fraudulent claims as per the NKBA Code of Conduct.