The countdown is officially the main character. If you have a kitchen that finally behaves, a bath that no longer looks like it was designed during a power outage, or a living room that makes guests whisper “Who did this?” in a very satisfying tone, this is your moment. The Remodelista Considered Design Awards celebrate thoughtful, livable, well-edited designand with only five days left to enter, procrastination has lost its invitation.
The beauty of the Remodelista Considered Design Awards is that they are not only for glossy, magazine-perfect homes with suspiciously photogenic lemons on the counter. The competition has historically welcomed both professionals and design-loving amateurs: homeowners, renters, architects, interior designers, DIY renovators, and people who know the emotional cost of choosing the right white paint. In other words, if your space tells a strong design story, it may belong in the running.
Below is a practical, in-depth guide to what the awards are about, why they matter, and how to pull together a polished entry before the deadline sneaks up like a contractor invoice.
What Are the Remodelista Considered Design Awards?
The Remodelista Considered Design Awards are an annual design competition created around the idea of the “considered home.” That phrase matters. This is not about square footage, trophy furniture, or buying one dramatic pendant light and calling it a personality. Considered design is intentional. It respects materials, function, proportion, light, storage, everyday rituals, and the people who actually live in the space.
Past Remodelista award programs have included categories for kitchens, baths, living and dining spaces, and related home projects, with separate tracks for amateur and professional designers. Gardenista and The Organized Home have also been part of the broader awards family, expanding the spotlight to outdoor rooms, gardens, curb appeal, edible gardens, hardscape projects, and kitchen organization. That range is part of the charm: the awards recognize that good design can happen in a grand remodel, a modest rental, a narrow galley kitchen, or a garden corner where tomatoes are trying their best.
Historically, entries have been reviewed by editors and guest judges, finalists have been selected, and winners have been chosen with reader participation in many categories. Winning projects have received editorial coverage, public recognition, and prizes such as gift cards from design-focused sponsors. For professionals, the exposure can be especially valuable; for amateurs, it is the design-world equivalent of someone saying, “You were right about that tile,” but louder.
Why Enter Now?
Because five days is enough time to create a strong entrybut not enough time to “circle back later.” Design awards reward clarity, not panic. The best submissions usually do three things well: they show the project clearly, explain the design decisions simply, and make the viewer understand why the space works.
If your project is already finished, you are not starting from zero. You are assembling evidence. You need strong photos, a concise project description, accurate credits, and a category choice that fits the work. That is manageable in five days if you resist the temptation to redesign your entire house because one chair looks “a little emotionally unavailable” in photos.
Who Should Enter?
Homeowners and Renters
If you designed your own space, solved a difficult layout problem, upgraded a tired room, or created a home that reflects how you actually live, the amateur categories may be your lane. A renter with an ingenious small-space dining solution can be just as compelling as a homeowner with a full renovation. Design is not always demolition. Sometimes it is a smarter shelf, better lighting, and the courage to stop buying baskets that solve nothing.
Architects and Interior Designers
Professionals should enter projects that demonstrate both aesthetic judgment and practical intelligence. A winning professional entry is not just “beautiful”; it shows command of constraints. Maybe the floor plan was awkward, the budget was tight, the historic details needed respect, or the clients owned three dogs and one heroic amount of cookware. The story behind the design can be as persuasive as the final image.
Gardeners and Outdoor Designers
When Gardenista categories are included, outdoor spaces become part of the awards conversation. Gardens, patios, edible beds, curb appeal projects, and hardscapes can all reveal the same considered approach Remodelista prizes indoors: restraint, function, durability, beauty, and a strong sense of place.
Choose the Right Category Before You Touch the Submit Button
Category choice sounds boring until you realize it can determine whether judges understand your project in five seconds or spend five minutes trying to figure out why a pantry is competing as a bathroom. Read the category descriptions carefully. If the project is a kitchen, enter it as a kitchen. If the real magic is the organization system inside the kitchen, a kitchen organization category may be more strategic. If the project combines living and dining, choose the category that best reflects the strongest photos and story.
Amateur versus professional status also matters. If you are paid for design work, used the project in a professional portfolio, or are entering on behalf of a client, use the professional category. If you are a homeowner or renter who designed the space yourself, the amateur category may be appropriate. When in doubt, choose transparency. Awards committees are fond of honesty; they are less fond of category gymnastics.
What Makes a Strong Remodelista Awards Entry?
1. A Clear Design Story
Every memorable project has a “before” problem and an “after” solution. Maybe a small kitchen needed more storage without feeling crowded. Maybe a bathroom had zero natural light and the emotional range of a parking garage. Maybe a living room needed to serve as a reading area, dining zone, work corner, and occasional blanket fort headquarters. Explain the challenge, then explain the design moves that solved it.
Keep the writing specific. Instead of saying, “We wanted a beautiful and functional space,” say, “We replaced upper cabinets with open shelving to make the narrow kitchen feel wider, added closed storage below for everyday tools, and chose unlacquered brass hardware that will patina over time.” Specificity is the difference between a design statement and a real design story.
2. Strong Photography
Photos are the front door of your entry. Judges and readers cannot feel the plaster finish or admire your clever drawer inserts unless the images show them clearly. Submit bright, sharp, well-composed photos that reveal the whole room first, then include details that support the story.
Natural light is your friend, but direct glare is not. Shoot when the room looks calm and balanced. Turn off harsh overhead lights if they distort color. Straighten vertical lines. Remove distracting clutter. This does not mean sterilizing the room until it looks like nobody has ever made toast there. A considered home should feel lived in, not abandoned by a very tidy ghost.
3. Honest Styling
Style the room, but do not disguise it. A stack of books, a bowl of fruit, a towel on a hook, and a vase of branches can help a space feel human. Twelve cutting boards, four ceramic pitchers, and a single chair placed mysteriously in the shower may raise questions. The best styling clarifies the design; it does not audition for a separate career.
4. Good Captions
Captions are underrated. They can point out details the image alone may not explain: reclaimed flooring, custom cabinetry, a small-space storage trick, a vintage sink, a hidden appliance garage, or a budget-friendly material used in a smart way. Think of captions as quiet tour guides. They should not shout, but they should know where everything is.
5. Proper Credits
Credit the designer, architect, photographer, builder, stylist, landscape designer, cabinetmaker, and any other major contributor. If you are submitting your own home but worked with professionals, name them. Clear crediting protects everyone and makes the entry look polished.
A Five-Day Entry Plan That Actually Works
Day 1: Pick the Category and Gather Materials
Start by reading the official rules and category descriptions. Decide where your project fits. Then gather existing photos, before images if you have them, receipts or notes for materials, names of collaborators, and any project details you want to mention. Do not write yet. Collect first. Your future self will be grateful, and possibly less caffeinated.
Day 2: Photograph or Re-Shoot the Space
If your photos are blurry, dark, tilted, or include a laundry basket having a public breakdown, re-shoot. Capture one strong wide shot, two or three alternate angles, and several detail images. For kitchens, show layout, storage, work zones, hardware, lighting, and surfaces. For baths, show fixtures, tile, vanity, lighting, and any clever use of space. For living and dining areas, show flow, seating, materials, and atmosphere.
Day 3: Write the Project Description
A strong description usually answers four questions: What was the space like before? What problem needed solving? What design choices changed the space? Why does the final result work? Keep it concise, but not vague. Use plain language. You do not need to sound like an art critic trapped inside a paint deck.
Day 4: Edit Photos and Captions
Choose your best images, not every image. More is not always better. If you can submit up to 10 photos, make each one earn its place. Arrange them in a logical order: overall view first, supporting angles next, details last. Write captions that add useful information rather than repeating what is obvious. “Sink” is not a caption. “Vintage wall-mounted sink paired with a custom oak shelf to create storage in a narrow bath” is a caption.
Day 5: Review, Proofread, and Submit
Before submitting, check names, spelling, image requirements, file sizes, eligibility rules, and category choice. Read your description aloud. If you trip over a sentence, revise it. If a caption sounds like it was written during a mild kitchen emergency, revise that too. Then submit before the deadline, preferably before the final hour, because websites enjoy becoming dramatic exactly when you need them most.
Examples of Projects That Fit the Remodelista Spirit
A small kitchen with custom open shelving, a durable stone counter, and a peg rail for everyday tools can be more compelling than a giant kitchen with no soul. A bath that uses handmade tile, warm wood, and practical storage can stand out because it balances beauty and use. A living room that mixes inherited furniture, clean-lined upholstery, layered lighting, and a restrained palette can feel deeply considered without feeling decorated to death.
What these projects share is intention. Remodelista readers tend to appreciate spaces that age well, use materials honestly, and avoid trend overload. A room does not need to scream. In fact, if your room is screaming, please check the wallpaper.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The first mistake is submitting photos that do not show the room. Close-ups are lovely, but judges need context. The second mistake is writing a description full of adjectives and no information. “Timeless, elevated, curated, bespoke, organic, modern, warm, layered” may sound nice, but it does not explain what you actually did. The third mistake is forgetting credits or entering the wrong category. The fourth is waiting until the final minutes and discovering your best image is named “IMG_4387_FINAL_final_REALLYFINAL.png” and still somehow not final.
Another mistake is over-polishing the project until it loses personality. Considered design is not cold. It can be playful, humble, rustic, refined, colorful, minimal, traditional, or experimental. The key is coherence. Show why the choices belong together.
Why the Awards Matter for SEO, Portfolios, and Visibility
For designers, architects, builders, and stylists, awards recognition can become valuable portfolio content. A finalist or winner mention can support credibility on a website, social media profile, press kit, or client proposal. For homeowners and renters, recognition can validate years of decisions, weekends, dust, returns, and the noble act of measuring twice.
From a digital marketing perspective, design awards can also generate searchable authority. A featured project can attract readers looking for kitchen remodel ideas, bathroom renovation inspiration, small-space storage solutions, natural materials, vintage fixtures, and practical design examples. The Remodelista audience is especially aligned with people who care about substance as much as style, which makes the exposure meaningful for design professionals and brands.
How to Make Your Entry Feel More “Considered”
Focus on restraint. If you used three materials beautifully, say so. If you preserved original architecture, explain why. If you chose a humble material because it was durable, affordable, or locally available, include that. If your design reduced clutter, improved light, created better circulation, or made daily routines easier, that is worth mentioning.
Also talk about trade-offs. Good design is full of them. Maybe you skipped upper cabinets to preserve openness, then compensated with a pantry wall. Maybe you chose a smaller tub to gain a better shower. Maybe you used vintage lighting to add character while keeping new cabinetry simple. These decisions reveal thoughtfulness, and thoughtfulness is the whole point.
Experience Section: What Entering a Design Award Teaches You
Entering a design award is a surprisingly useful exercise, even before anyone announces finalists. It forces you to look at your project with fresh eyes. When you live with a space every day, you stop seeing the transformation. The once-impossible corner becomes “where the coffee lives.” The clever storage solution becomes normal. The tile you debated for six weeks becomes background music. Preparing an awards entry reminds you that design is a chain of decisions, and many of those decisions were smarter than you gave yourself credit for.
The first experience many entrants have is the realization that photography tells the truthbut not always kindly. A room that feels wonderful in person may need small adjustments to read well on camera. A lamp may need to move three inches. A chair may need to angle slightly. A countertop may need fewer objects, even if all seven objects are technically useful and emotionally important. This process is not about faking the room. It is about helping the camera understand what your eyes already know.
The second lesson is that writing about design makes the design stronger. When you explain why you chose soapstone, why the island is narrow, why the shelves stop short of the ceiling, or why the garden path curves instead of running straight, you uncover the logic behind the beauty. That logic is what separates a pretty project from a memorable one. Judges and readers respond to spaces that have reasons.
The third experience is humility. You may discover that one photo is not good enough, one caption is confusing, or one part of the room still bothers you. That is normal. Design is never truly finished; it is edited over time. The awards process simply asks you to pause, frame the best version of the work, and share it with people who care about the same details you do.
For professionals, entering can also sharpen brand language. The way you describe one project often reveals how you want to describe your practice: practical, material-driven, historic, minimalist, family-focused, sustainable, or deeply personal. A well-written awards entry can later become a case study, portfolio page, newsletter feature, Instagram caption series, or client presentation. One submission can do more work than a drawer full of business cards, especially if those business cards are hiding under tile samples.
For amateurs, the experience can be affirming. Maybe you are not a professional designer, but you made a hundred careful decisions. You learned the difference between warm and cool whites. You discovered that “standard size” is a phrase with a dangerous sense of humor. You negotiated with budget, space, time, and possibly a skeptical family member who now admits the built-in bench was a good idea. Entering the Remodelista Considered Design Awards is a way of saying that lived experience counts, taste can be self-taught, and a thoughtful home is worth celebrating.
Most importantly, the process encourages you to document your work. Homes change. Gardens grow. Rooms evolve. The photos and written story you prepare today become a record of what you made and why it mattered. Whether your project wins, becomes a finalist, or simply gives you a cleaner folder of photos, the act of entering is productive. It turns private effort into a shareable story.
Final Thoughts
With only five days left to enter the Remodelista Considered Design Awards, the smartest move is to begin now. Choose the right category, collect your strongest photos, write a clear description, credit contributors properly, and submit before the deadline. Do not wait for the mythical perfect moment when every pillow behaves and every cord disappears. A considered home is not perfect. It is thoughtful, useful, personal, and alive.
If your space solves a problem beautifully, shows restraint, respects materials, and tells a story, it deserves consideration. Five days is enough time to stop overthinking and start entering. Your kitchen, bath, living room, garden, or organization project has already done the hard part: it exists. Now give it a chance to be seen.
Note: Award rules, deadlines, categories, prizes, and eligibility requirements may change from year to year. Before submitting, entrants should verify the current official Remodelista, Gardenista, or related awards page for the most accurate details.
