Wayfair Sets Trade Tastemaker Awards

January 14, 2015  by in Designer Weekly   

Bridging a range of aesthetics, Wayfair will name one design professional as the 2015 Designer of the Year and recognize one top designer in each of the following categories: Rising Star, Best Design Innovator, Best Use of Color, Best Design Solution, and Best Commercial Space.

“Wayfair’s Designer Photo Gallery offers unique access to professional home design projects and allows us to watch as talented designers emerge and shape the home space,” said Jessica Dowling, head of trade services at Wayfair. “For the launch of the Trade Tastemaker Awards, we are thrilled to team up with three superstar judges to spotlight the latest and greatest talent in home design.”

Wayfair has partnered with three recognized designers to judge the awards. Candice Olson, Jeffrey Alan Marks and Windsor Smith make up the panel.

Olson is known for her take on traditional style, creating timeless yet contemporary spaces across the United States and Canada. She is the creator and host of “Divine Designs with Candice Olson” and “Candice Tells All”, both HGTV hits, a guest judge on HGTV’s Design Stars, and the author of six books on interior design.

Marks is one of today’s most influential American designers and has been internationally recognized as a trendsetter for more than two decades. He was a featured designer on Bravo TV’s “Million Dollar Decorators”, showcasing his globally inspired style with an emphasis on comfort and livability. He is also the author of “The Meaning of Home” a coffee table book of his firms’ projects. Alan’s furniture designs and lighting can be found at Palecek and he recently launched a collection of fabrics with Kravet. 

Smith’s designs are revered in the trade for their lifestyle-driven approach. She creates spaces for leaders in the entertainment and business worlds, blending luxury with the creature comforts and flexibility needed to support busy, multi-tasking families. Windsor’s projects are featured in top design publications including Veranda, which named her as one of the top 25 design influencers in their 25-year history. A feature designer for Century Furniture Icons Collection, Kravet Fabric & Rugs, Arteriors (launching April 2015) and Boyd Lighting  (launching 2015), she publishes her first book “Homefront” with Rizzoli in Spring 2015.

The Trade Tastemaker Awards are open to credentialed interior designers who register as members of Wayfair’s Trade Services program. Entrants may submit their work for consideration by uploading images to the Designer Photo Gallery by Feb. 8. The retailer will announce the Designer of the Year and accompanying categories in March at a reception with the judging panel.