NEW ORLEANS, LA -- Glass in all its glory -- hand-cut, hand-blown and LED-lit -- was creatively used by the winning designers in both the Best Kitchen and the Best Bath in the 2013 Design Competition sponsored by theNational Kitchen & Bath Association(NKBA). The category winners in this annual contest were revealed on April 18th at an exclusive Design Competition Awards event at the Republic in New Orleans, LA, during the 2013 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS).
LED-lit glass bar
Wendy Johnson, CKD, CBD of Designs for Living in Manchester, VT, took the Best Kitchen Award for her grand-scale room with a curved LED-lit glass bar overlooking art glass on panels in the cooking and entertaining centers, and an expansive golf course view.

Wendy Johnson, CKD, CBD of Designs for Living in Manchester, VT, took the Best Kitchen Award for her grand-scale room with a curved LED-lit glass bar overlooking art glass on panels in the cooking and entertaining centers, and an expansive golf course view.

Shea Pumarejo of Younique Designs in Helotes, TX, earned the Best Bath Award for her Baroque-style room, featuring a hand-cut glass wall and red hand-blown glass faucet and sink.

The two honorees were part of the winners' circle that encompasses six categories: small, medium and large kitchens; small and large bathrooms; and powder rooms. In addition, the NKBA Design Competition recognizes Specialty Awards for "Before" and "After" Kitchens and Baths, Budget-Friendly Kitchens and Baths, Green Design and Universal Design.

"We take great pride in announcing to the public the topnotch kitchen and bath designers that our industry has to offer," said 2013 NKBA President John K. Morgan. "Hundreds of entries are received every year, and our designer members continue to impress. The competition this year boasted of innovative concepts, creative expressions and cutting-edge designs."

This year's 400+ entries from across the U.S. and Canada were judged by a panel of eight certified industry experts, who ranked entries based on safety and ergonomics, elements and principles of design, design planning, creativity and presentation. In addition, approximately 16,000 consumers voted for the People's Pick Kitchen and Bath on HGTVRemodels.com.
Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, the National Kitchen & Bath Association has conducted a design contest since 1965 when the winners were Danish Modern and Spanish-style projects, and a kitchen with lavender blue cabinets accented by wallpapered soffit and ceiling.

Supporting this year's Design Competition are Platinum Sponsors Jenn-Air, Waypoint Living Spaces and DuPont Surfaces; Gold Sponsors Delta Faucet and Hafele; and Silver Sponsors 20-20 Technologies, Miele, SieMatic, The Home Depot, KWC America and HGTVRemodels.com.

The winners of the 2013 NKBA Design Competition are:

Best Kitchen
Wendy F. Johnson, CKD, CBD
Designs for Living
Manchester Village, Vt.

Best Bath
Shea Pumarejo
Younique Designs
Helotes, Texas

Before & After Kitchen
Richard Ourso, CKD, CAPS
Ourso Designs
Baton Rouge, La.

Before & After Bath
Brigitte Fabi, CMKBD
Drury Design Kitchen & Bath Studio
Glen Ellyn, Ill.

Budget-Friendly Kitchen
Cheryl Kees Clendenon
In Detail Interiors
Pensacola, Fla.

Budget-Friendly Bath
Elizabeth Schulz, AKBD
ABK Today
Lancaster, Pa.

Green Design

Baroque-style room
Shea Pumarejo of Younique Designs in Helotes, TX, earned the Best Bath Award for her Baroque-style room, featuring a hand-cut glass wall and red hand-blown glass faucet and sink.

Anastasia Rentzos, CKD, CBD
Andros Kitchen & Bath Designs
Mississauga, Ontario

Universal Design
Sandra Tierney, CMKBD, CID
Cabinets by Design
Escondido, Calif.

Clay Lyon Honorary Award
Angela Victoria Rasmussen
House 2 Home Design & Build
San Jose, Calif.

Small Kitchen
First Place: Elina Katsioula-Beall, CKD; Dewitt Designer Kitchens; Pasadena, Calif.
Second Place: Mark T. White, CKD, CBD; Kitchen Encounters; Annapolis, Md.
Third Place: Jonas Carnemark, CKD; Carnemark; Bethesda, Md.

Medium Kitchen
First Place: Karen Swanson; New England Design Works; Manchester, Mass.
Second Place: Cheryl Kees Clendenon; In Detail Interiors; Pensacola, Fla.
Third Place: Rhonda Knoche, CMKBD; Rhonda Knoche Design; Portland, Ore.

Large Kitchen
First Place: Wendy F. Johnson, CKD, CBD; Designs for Living; Manchester Village, Vt.
Second Place: Bryan Reiss, CMKBD; Distinctive Design; Mt. Pleasant, S.C.
Third Place: Brigitte C. Fabi, CMKBD; Drury Design Kitchen & Bath Studio; Glen Ellyn, Ill.

Powder Room
First Place: Elina Katsioula-Beall, CKD; Dewitt Designer Kitchens; Pasadena, Calif.
Second Place: Lori W. Carroll, NCIDQ\ASID; Lori Carroll & Associates; Tucson, Ariz.
Third Place: Lori W. Carroll, NCIDQ\ASID; Lori Carroll & Associates; Tucson, Ariz.

Small Bath
First Place: Leslie Lamarre, CKD, CID, CGBP; TRG Architects; Burlingame, Calif.
Second Place: Jon Crabtree; Inspired Spaces; Minneapolis, Minn.
Third Place: Terence Tung, CKD; Kitchen Craft Cabinetry; Newcastle Wash.

Large Bath
First Place: Shea Pumarejo; Younique Designs; Helotes, Texas
Second Place: Lori W. Carroll, NCIDQ\ASID; Lori Carroll & Associates; Tucson, Ariz.

People’s Pick Kitchen
Bryan Reiss, CMKBD; Distinctive Design; Mt. Pleasant, S.C.

People’s Pick Bath
Leslie Lamarre, CKD, CID, CGBP; TRG Architects; Burlingame, Calif.