1. Timeline

• Registration Opens - August 1

• Registration Deadline - October 9

• Material Pickup (cabinet door and board) - August 1 - October 9 

• Submission Deadline - October 16

• Public Voting Dates - October 26 - 30

• Awards Reception - November 5

• Winner Announcement - November 5​

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2. Eligibility & Entry

I. Who Can Enter: The competition is open to Interior Designers, Architects, Kitchen & Bath Designers, Design Students, Interior Stylists, and Collaborative Design Teams.

II. Location: Participants must be located in the Austin area.

III. Entry Fee: There is a $20 entry fee, and the competition is capped at a maximum of 20 entries.

IV. Registration Deadline: Registration closes on October 9th

3. Submission Requirements

 

All participants must use their Cabinet Couture cabinet door as the architectural focal point for their submission and submit the following by October 16:

I. Curated Moodboard: Must include the Cabinet Couture cabinet door, stone, flooring, tile, paint, decorative materials, and hardware (if needed).

II. Non-Dimensional Concept Drawing: Must communicate how the selected materials work together. Acceptable formats include a hand sketch, elevation, perspective, AI visualization, or digital rendering. AI-generated imagery may be used as a visualization tool; however, the overall design concept, material selections, and design narrative must be the participant's original work.

III. Design Narrative: A 100–250 word description covering the design philosophy, material selections, accessibility considerations, functional solutions, and how the design improves Carlos' daily life (reducing unnecessary bending, reaching, lifting, and prolonged standing).

See Challenge brief for more details.

4. Originality & Copyright

I. All submissions must be original work created specifically for this competition.

II. Entries may not replicate another designer's published work or showroom display.

III. Participants confirm they have the rights to use all images, renderings, and materials included in their submission.

 

IV. Designers retain ownership of their original work. Cabinet Couture retains the right to display and promote submissions for marketing, educational, and exhibition purposes.

5. Judging & Voting Process Anonymity

I. Each submission will be assigned an entry number. Submissions should not have any identifying information such as names, company logos, signatures, watermarks, or social media handles on the submission board or drawings. 

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II. All entries for the People's Choice Award will be professionally photographed and posted anonymously on Cabinet Couture's social media. The design with the most public votes wins this award.

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III. To ensure fairness, Social Media voting will be conducted anonymously.

 

• One vote per person.

• Cabinet Couture reserves the right to remove fraudulent votes.

• Automated voting is prohibited.

VI. Our esteemed judges will score independently using the official scorecard based on:

a. Creativity & Originality
b. Response to Clients' Design Brief
c. Integration of Cabinet Couture Door
d. Accessibility & Functional Planning
e. Overall Design Cohesion
f. Material Selection & Layering
g. Color Composition
h. Sustainability

 

​V. All judging decisions are final and not subject to appeal.

6. Conflict of Interest

 

Judges must refrain from evaluating entries where a personal or professional conflict exists. Cabinet Couture reserves the right to recuse judges if necessary.

7. Disqualification Rules

 

Cabinet Couture reserves the right to disqualify any submission for the following reasons:

I. Late submission or incomplete entry.

II. Failure to follow competition requirements.

III. Evidence of plagiarism, copyright infringement, or use of unauthorized materials.

IV. Misrepresentation of authorship.

V. Inappropriate conduct toward judges, sponsors, or organizers.

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Participants are expected to conduct themselves professionally throughout the competition. Harassment, discriminatory behavior, or attempts to influence judges or voting may result in immediate disqualification​

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8. Photography & Marketing Release

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By entering, participants grant Cabinet Couture the non-exclusive right to photograph, publish, display, reproduce, and promote submitted work in print, digital media, exhibitions, future marketing materials, and social media with proper designer attribution.

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9. Competition Cancellation

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Cabinet Couture reserves the right to modify competition dates, judging procedures, prizes, or cancel the competition if unforeseen circumstances arise.