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BEST AWARDS 2026

Welcome to the 15th Annual IIDA RMC BEST Awards Online Entry for 2026!
 

KEY DATES
Submission Site Open for Call for Entries: Wednesday, January 7, 2026  | 12:00pm MT

Final Applications for Entries Deadline: Friday, January 30, 2026 | 11:59pm MT
Final Submission Deadline: Friday, February 27, 2026  | 11:59pm MT
BEST Awards Show and Winner Announcement: April 30, 2026 at The Denver Art Museum |  More Information To Follow

PROGRAM INTENT
IIDA Rocky Mountain Chapter BEST Awards aims to recognize design excellence, encourage new ideas and techniques, and build public awareness in the field of interior design. IIDA RMC is a professional organization dedicated to advancing the knowledge of interior design among professionals, as well as the awareness and appreciation of interior design among the general public. IIDA RMC serves the Rocky Mountain Region which consists of the entire state of Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana.


ELIGIBILITY (Projects must have been completed before December 2025)
The IIDA RMC BEST Awards is open to design firms of all sizes, focus, and interest practicing in the IIDA Rocky Mountain region. If a design firm has multiple office locations, the project team responsible for the design must work out of an office located within the Rocky Mountain Chapter region. The Rocky Mountain chapter region consists of* consists of the entire state of Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana. Submissions are open to both IIDA members and non-members.
*Please contact events@iidarmc.org if you believe your firm is located within the Rocky Mountain Chapter but is not listed above.


AWARD CATEGORIES
Winners to be selected in each category with an opportunity to also win the event’s “DEI Award” and “best overall" BEST Award.  Special Recognition awards may be given as a "runner up" in any of the Design Project award categories as well. 

  • Workplace: 15,000 SF and under 

  • Workplace: 15,000-30,000 SF 

  • Workplace: 30,000-60,000 SF 

  • Workplace: 60,000 SF and above

  • Stay: Select Service Hospitality Hotel 

  • Stay: Best Full Service Hospitality Hotel 

  • Play: Sports and Recreation

  • Play: Food and/or Beverage Venues to include: Restaurants, Bars, Wineries, Breweries, etc.

  • Play: Customer Spaces, Shop, Retail Branches/Banks 

  • Serve: K-12

  • Serve: Higher Education

  • Serve: Government, Institutional, Performing Arts, Religious, Museums 

  • Serve: Non-profit and community-based projects that promote equity. Examples include libraries, affordable housing, supportive housing, community based accessible centers, etc.

  • Heal: Healthcare, Medical Office Buildings, and Clinics 

  • Live: Residential

  • Live: Multi-family, Senior Living & Club Houses

  • Best Moment: An innovative or daring design feature (grand stair, innovative use of material, unique detail). This is not intended to be a single space. (To further clarify this category, this is intended to be the detail within the space, not the space as a whole. Images provided can show the whole space to give the detail context, however please pay attention to your submission narrative to ensure your firm is highlighting the "Moment".)

  • BEST Maker: Custom signage, locally made furniture, Bespoke art, etc. (To be submitted by the design team or fabricator)

  • Student: Any High School Student or College Student project completed by an interior design student.  The student awards program aims to recognize design excellence at the student level and encourage new ideas and techniques to strengthen the network between the Rocky Mountain region's interior design education programs and the chapter's design professionals and industry. (New demographic requirement)  

  • IIDA RMC Industry Partner:  Manufacturer Representative / Team or Dealer that has shown exceptional support and participation with IIDA RMC over the past year. This award will be given to the Manufacturer Representative / Team or Dealer that has been nominated by the Firms that have submitted for a BEST Award. IIDA RMC will also send out an open call for nominations from the community. The award will be judged by an IIDA Executive Board other than RMC. The award will be based on a written submission and quantity of nominations from designers.

  • DEI Award: This award goes to a project that shows exemplary leadership and commitment to advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion through interior design. Any project that was previously submitted can apply for this award. 

  • BEST OF THE BEST: Any project submitted will be up for BEST overall project.


ENTRY FEES
IIDA Member Design Project Submission: $275 per entry by Friday, January 30, 2026 | 11:59pm MT
Non-IIDA Member Design Project Submission: $375 per entry by Friday, January 30, 2026 | 11:59pm MT
DEI and BEST of The BEST: No Additional cost beyond project category submission
IIDA Member Student Project: $10 per entry by Friday, January 30, 2026 | 11:59pm MT

Non-IIDA Member Student Project: $30 per entry by Friday, January 30, 2026 | 11:59pm MT