In this episode we sit down to chat about industry awards – their value, what they represent and the bodies that govern them. As clients, you may have seen some colourful certificates with mysterious abbreviations in a design showroom and wondered what they mean for you and why you should care. We are here to hopefully shed some light on that, having proudly received a few swanky certificates ourselves, as well as been a part of the judging process on occasion. We will help decipher how these awards could guide you on journey to pick the best studio for you and why they shouldn’t be ignored. KEY POINTS: • Design awards are rarely only about looks and aesthetics – they could encompass an in depth assessment of problem solving, value for money, meeting the clients brief and much more! • How to use the accolades and awards a studio has collected as pointers to what they specialize in or are particularly good at • We give some insight into who judges these awards and why a win or even being shortlisted shows a company’s dedication to a higher level of service and better overall client experience. • To make out what an award means in the industry, AI or simply google can be a fantastic source of insight to the credentials of the governing body and judgement criteria for the winning project • Awards shouldn’t intimidate you as they are often showcasing a middle of the road reality and not necessarily a top luxury product or property – good design is achievable for everyone. • We take a moment to appreciate the hard work and foresight that goes into putting a project up for an award Keywords: Kitchen industry, design awards, kitchen design, KBSA, problem solving, aesthetic, integrity, accolade, recognition, industry leaders, judging criteria, award nominations