August 21, 2024

Words: Carlene Olsen

Manufacturers Share How A Best Of Year Win “Elevates Brand Visibility”

When it comes to brand recognition—and trust—the far-reaching impact of an Interior Design Best of Year Award can’t be beat. The design industry’s premiere architecture and design awards program spotlights the best of the best, from striking projects to groundbreaking products, raising the bar for excellence each year.

What makes taking home a Best of Year Award so meaningful? A win is a game-changer for growing companies and seasoned firms alike, previous winners share. And Product and Project categories are as vast as the design concepts they represent, whether submitting for Environmental Impact, Contract Furniture, or Lighting, to name a few.

Past winners in Contract Seating categories affirm that a win dramatically shifts the trajectories of those who submit, bringing in new clients, strengthening brand loyalty, and creating awareness around what’s next in design. Read more to find out how, and be sure to submit to Interior Design‘s Best of Year Awards before September 13 for a chance to win.

Don’t Sit On Submitting To The Best Of Year Awards, Say Past Contract Seating Winners 

“Allowed Us to Build Brand Awareness” and “Ultimately, Increase Sales” 

With a roster of impressive winners and honorees across the globe, the Best of Year Awards offer “amplified exposure,” shares Thomas Jonsson, co-founder of Scandinavian Spaces, which has earned several wins over the years. Such exposure has “allowed us and our partner brand, Blå Station, to continue promoting Big Talk as an award-winning product,” he adds, referring to the 2021 Best of Year winner for Contract Lounge Seating.

“Winning the Best of Year Award has allowed us to build credibility, increase brand awareness, and, ultimately, increase sales,” he continues, stressing the power behind the accolade.

The awards also foster community, and strengthen connections throughout the industry. “We love attending the [Best of Year Awards] event in NYC every year to support designers, manufacturers, students, and industry leaders—building a community where we can recognize each other’s accomplishments and hard work over the past year,” says Jonsson. “This gathering and coming together to celebrate our industry is powerful and inspiring.”

Thomas Jonsoon
Thomas Jonsson, co-founder of Scandinavian Spaces.
Big Talk, Adam Goodrum Studio’s semicircular throne for Blå Station, pictured here, is a rounded arm chair decorated with vertical stripes in blue, shades of red, gold and white. A woman sits in the chair with her back to the camera.
Big Talk by Blå Station thru Scandinavian Spaces, which won a 2021 Best of Year Award for Contract Lounge Seating.
Interior Design Best of Year 2023 for Skandiform thru Scandinavian Spaces
Lola, a 2023 Best of Year Award winner for Contract Seating by Skandiform thru Scandinavian Spaces.

A Best of Year Award “Validates Our Commitment to Pushing the Boundaries of Design” 

Clayton Oxford
Clayton Oxford, director of digital strategy for Bernhardt Design. Photography by Mirra Studio.

Past winners assert that Interior Design‘s Best of Year Awards benefit the design industry as a whole, raising the bar for innovation and creativity. “Winning a Best of Year Award has not only significantly elevated our brand’s visibility, reinforcing our reputation as a leader in design innovation and quality, but also helped elevate the overall industry standard by showcasing what’s possible and inspiring others to push the boundaries of design,” shares Clayton Oxford, director of digital strategy for Bernhardt Design, which is no stranger to taking home a Best of Year win.

“The Best of Year Awards stand out for their rigorous selection process and emphasis on both design excellence and real-world impact, which truly highlights the best in the industry,” he adds.

As for those planning to submit to this year’s awards, previous winners recommend standing out from the crowd. “My advice is to highlight what makes your project truly exceptional and innovative while ensuring their submission clearly demonstrates both vision and practical application,” says Oxford.

Interior Design Best of Year 2023 for Bernhardt Design
RKC by Bernhardt Design, a 2023 Best of Year winner for Contract Lounge Seating: Domestic.

Submissions for Interior Design‘s Best of Year Awards Close September 13

Don’t miss out on an opportunity to submit to Interior Design’s Best of Year Awards by September 13, 2024. For additional information, such as a list of categories for projects and products, check out the submission guidelines.

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