The Innovative Showroom Awards celebrate existing showrooms in the kitchen & bath space that are doing an outstanding job of engagement, creating an unforgettable experience, and educating their customers.
Timeline
The Innovative Showroom Awards competition entry period will open at 9:00 am EST on September 8, 2017, and will end October 30, 2017 at 5:00 pm PST. All entries must be received by the entry deadline. The top 15 finalists (3 from each category) will be selected, notified and announced via email on November 14, 2017. Six (6) winners will be announced at KBIS 2018, January 9, 2018 at 4:00 pm EST on the KBISNeXT Stage in South Hall.
Fees
There is a $100 entry fee for each competition entry. All entry fees are non-refundable.
Entry Rules
Entrants must include a showroom name, designer, showroom category and 2-5 hi-res images that portray the showroom environment. By submitting photography, you are granting KBIS the right to publish it free of charge. Any photographer’s fees are the responsibility of the submitter.
Entrants must also answer a series of questions:
1. What makes the space innovative?
2. Is there something in the space that is functionally innovative?
3. How does the showroom encourage customer engagement?
Categories
One (1) winner in each of the five (5) categories to be chosen and one (1) overall winner for a grand total of six (6) winners:
1. Independent Retail Showrooms Locations (Brands with 1-5 showrooms) - Small (1,000- 2,500 sq ft)
2. Independent Retail Showrooms Locations (Brands with 1-5 showrooms) - Medium (2,500 – 5,000 sq ft)
3. Independent Retail Showrooms Locations (Brands with 1-5 showrooms) - Large (5,000 sq ft+)
4. Multi Location Retail Showrooms (Brands with 6+ showrooms) - Medium (1,000- 5,000 sq ft)
5. Multi Location Retail Showrooms (Brands with 6+ showrooms) - Large (5,000 sq ft+)
Judging Criteria
An Advisory Board comprised of six (6) past winners and industry professionals will judge the entries. Showrooms in each category will be judged on their innovative, unique and interactive showroom design. The overall winner will be chosen by the Advisory Board from among the five (5) category winners.
• Chelsie Butler – Executive Editor, Kitchen & Bath Business
• Ken Nisch – Chairman, JGA
• Avinash Rajagopal – Editor-in-Chief, Metropolis Magazine
• Alison Embrey Medina – Editor-in-Chief/Associate Publisher, design:retail
• Joe Baer – Co-Founder, CEO & Creative Director, ZenGenius
• Kim Bernard, ASID, IIDA – Executive Director of Showroom & Facilities Design, Walker Zanger Global Headquarters (KBIS 2017 Innovative Showroom Awards Overall and Independent Large Winner)
Winner’s Announcement
There will be no monetary prizes awarded to competition winners. A panel discussion about showroom innovation will be held on Tuesday, January 9 from 3:15 pm – 4:00 pm on the KBISNeXT stage in South Hall. The Awards Ceremony will follow from 4:00 pm – 4:30 pm. A cocktail celebration to honor the winners will immediately proceed the Awards Ceremony.
People’s Choice Award
In addition to the category and overall winners, a People’s Choice Award will be determined by the public via Facebook voting. Voting will take place after KBIS 2018 for one week (January 22 - 26, 2018). The showroom that receives the most Facebook votes from among the top 15 finalists will be awarded the People’s Choice Award.
