Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM MAY 2015 44 T he 2016 NKBA Design Competition is set to launch on June 1st this year. If you're considering entering the competition, as a good designer you need to always remember a few steps in the design process. 1) Meet the needs of the client, 2) The design needs to function properly, 3) Always meet life safety standards, 4) Now make it pretty. FIRST STEPS • VIsit www.NKBA.org/Competition to thoroughly read the entry packet— The first step that competition entrants typically take is to start filling the entry form. A common mistake at this point is that many of the applicants do not completely read the entry packet that contains detailed information on how to proceed with the entry process. Make sure you read all the instructions carefully from the entry packet available on NKBA.org/ Competition and submit all documents as listed. • What should be included in your entry form— The entry process begins online through the NKBA website. You start the entry form by logging in with your individual NKBA member ID (not your company ID). Your basic profile information is automatically populated on your entry form; once you complete the other details requested on the form, you can submit your entry. You will receive a link to download a PDF document of your entry form which contains additional releases and payment information that need to be filled out and signed. Make sure that you submit your entry to the proper category, ensuring that you correctly calculate the square footage. You also need to include photos, floor plan, elevations and a design statement. Once your entry is complete, you will have to mail the packet to the NKBA headquarters. • Tips for presenting photographs— Take the time and print your photos on quality photo paper. Most designers spend a lot of money having their project photographed professionally, but then end up printing it on regular copy paper. By doing this, the photos miss the "wow" factor that they should project and come across as poor quality images. Include any photo that you think shows the judges the best views of your project, specialty items or accessories and the most details. • Floor plans and elevations— Two common reasons for dis- qualifications are inadequate dimensions and scale discrepancies in drawings. Your floor plan must be printed to scale. Although you may have designed your project in ½" scale, shrinking it down to fit on a piece of paper will not suffice. Be sure that it is printed in ½", ¼" or metric scale. Make sure that your floor plan is dimensioned properly. The judges will be looking for appliance center line dimensions and to see that they are correct. To learn more about how to create detailed floor plans and elevations, refer to the NKBA Professional Resource Library: Kitchen and Bath Drawing. The same goes with your elevations as with your floor plan; they should be printed to scale, dimensioned properly, neat and clean. • Design statement— In your design statement you will be listing your client's needs and how they were met. You can do this in a paragraph or bullet points. The judges will refer to the design statement as they score your floor plan and elevations. • The scoring process— The scoring process starts with the judges checking for a complete entry package. Disqualifications will be determined for projects lacking dimensions on floor plans and elevations and those indicating life safety issues. Judges will also look to see if the design meets the NKBA Kitchen and Bath guidelines. Selected entries will progress to different rounds, being scored on criteria such as Safety and Ergonomics, Presentation of Floor Plans and Elevations, Elements and Principles of Design, Design Planning, Creativity, and Presentation. The top scoring projects then move on for the final decision. The judges now will collaborate and discuss the top projects to present the winning order. • Benefits to entering— Although winning a competition is very rewarding, taking the time and effort to submit an entry adds a lot of value to your professional goals. You will discipline yourself to make a more professional set of plans and specifications to submit to your clients. We look forward to receiving your entries at the NKBA! For more information on the 2016 NKBA Design Competition, please visit www.nkba.org/competition. RO HOW TO ENTER THE 2016 NKBA DESIGN COM PETITION A S S O C I A T I O N N E W S Peter J. Albanese, CKD, CBD, owner of Creative Kitchen and Bath in Wayne, NJ for the past 35 years, is a NKBA Certified Kitchen Designer and Certified Bathroom Designer, judging the NKBA Student and Professional design competitions, among other competitions.

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