ISFD Announces New Category for Pinnacle Awards

May 8, 2024  by HFBusiness Staff in Business Strategy, Industry   

The 28^th annual Pinnacle Awards are open to all furniture and textile designers, and manufacturers who are directly involved in designing home furnishings, décor, or textile products available for retail sale in the last year. Students who are currently enrolled in or graduated in the last year from an accredited furniture or industrial design program may enter the Student Pinnacle Awards. Winners will be announced at the annual Pinnacle Awards Gala held on Monday, October 28, 2024, during the fall High Point Market. Deadline to enter is July 26^, 2024.

“We are excited to announce that we have added a new Finishings category to our Pinnacle Awards line up,” stated David Blair, ISFD executive director. “For designers, the finish of a product is one of the most important elements of design. Because of the exigencies of the manufacturing process and differences in woods of the same species from different lots, getting even a simple-looking finish to look great can be a tricky process.”

“And, at the higher end of the market, the people who apply the finishes are real artists, sometimes taking many days and multiple layers of coatings and distressing to achieve the desired effect. In short, it’s important, it’s complicated, it’s an essential part of the creative design process and we want to acknowledge the talented professional designers who do it well.”

The Pinnacle Awards are intended to applaud designs that are produced mostly in larger numbers for sale to consumers. The recipients of the highly coveted Pinnacle Awards are the designers or design teams who were directly involved in the "design craft" of the product(s). The award is meant to honor the designer, the person who puts pen to paper to bring the idea to life. The items or collections entered must be in current production and must have been shown and sold at one of the major home furnishings or fabric markets worldwide.

“Another change to this year’s Pinnacle Awards is in the price points for Broad Appeal and Luxury Bedroom, Dining, Leather Upholstery and Stationary Upholstery,” Blair added. “We updated those to reflect current pricing levels.”

The 27 Pinnacle Awards categories for 2024 are:

Accessories - Any floor standing decorative accessory like sculpture, large planters or vases, screens, pedestals, carts, etc. Entry may be by piece or group.

Bedroom Broad Appeal - Headboards, mirrors, nightstands, chests, dressers, and other storage units intended primarily for bedroom use. Entry can be bedroom piece or group. Suggested retail for a four-piece group must be below $5500.

Bedroom Luxury - Headboards, mirrors, nightstands, chests, dressers, and other storage units intended primarily for bedroom use. Entry can be bedroom piece or group. Suggested retail for a four-piece group must be $5500 or more.

Dining Broad Appeal - Entry must be a group of at least one table and one model of chair. Suggested retail for a five-piece group of one table and four chairs must be less than $3750.

Dining Luxury - Entry must be a group of at least one table and one model of chair. Suggested retail for a five-piece group of one table and four chairs must be $3750 for more.

Entertainment Furniture - Entries in this category include individual or multiple units (groupings) that accommodate audio/video components.

Finishings - Includes any home furnishings item to which a finish is applied, with the exception of textiles. Products entered in other categories may also be entered in Finishings. Judges will consider only the finish.

Floor Coverings - Rugs

Home Office - Includes desks, seating, and storage intended for home office by combining office functionality with style and sizing suitable for home use. Entry can be a piece or a group. 

Home Textiles – Print - Textiles designed for home furnishings, primarily upholstered furniture. Entry may be screen or digital prints introduced within the last year. Entries are limited to one per designer and one colorway per entry.

Home Textiles – Woven - Textiles designed for home furnishings, primarily upholstered furniture. Entry may be jacquards or dobby wovens introduced within the last year. Entries are limited to one per designer and one colorway per entry. 

Leather Upholstery – Broad Appeal - Includes furniture, either motion or stationary, predominantly covered in leather. Suggested retail price must be below $2500 per seat. 

Leather Upholstery – Luxury - Includes furniture, either motion or stationary, predominantly covered in leather. Suggested retail price must be above $2500 per seat 

Lighting - Includes incandescent or LED fixed lighting intended for indoor home use, including table lamps, floor lamps, pendants, and chandeliers. Entry can be a piece or a group. 

Major Collections - Entry must be a whole home collection of at least 18 unique pieces. Upholstery, lighting, or accessories can be included only as part of the collection. 

Maker/Designer - This category is for builders/makers creating one-of-a-kind pieces for sale in galleries, stores and or client-specific products. Makers should have an independent business providing design and build services for custom furniture and accessories in their local market. This includes wood and mixed material case goods, occasional pieces, seating, upholstery, and accessories for both indoor and outdoor use. 

Motion Upholstery - Includes pieces that move to adjust the posture and comfort of the person seated. Entry can be made by piece or group. 

Occasional Storage - Occasional furniture intended for home use whose primary function is storage, not including entertainment or home theater furniture. Entry can be by piece or group. 

Occasional Tables – Broad Appeal - An open piece of furniture with a flat top and one or more legs or supports providing a level surface on which objects may be placed. Suggested retail price must be below $500.

Occasional Tables – Luxury - An open piece of furniture with a flat top and one or more legs or supports providing a level surface on which objects may be placed. Suggested retail price must be above $500.

Outdoor – Tables, chairs and other furniture designed primarily for outdoor or leisure-time settings such as sunrooms, porches, patios, or atriums.

Stationary Upholstery – Broad Appeal - Includes upholstered pieces with moving trays, shelves, etc., as long as the movement does not affect the posture of the person seated. Entry can be individual pieces or group. Suggested retail price must be below $2,000 per seat. 

Stationary Upholstery – Luxury - Can include upholstered pieces with moving trays, shelves, etc., if the movement does not affect the posture of the person seated. Entry can be individual pieces or group. Suggested retail price must be at least $2,000 per seat. 

Wall Décor - Home furnishings that attach to or hang on the wall including but not limited to wall mirrors, wall décor, clocks. Does not include wall art, paintings, or prints. Entry may be by piece or group.

Youth - Infant and juvenile bedroom furniture including beds, children's room accessories, and storage. Entry can be an individual piece or a group.

The Green Leaf Award Subcategory - Products that meet the most discerning design standards while also meeting a legitimately eco-friendly profile. See application for more details.

Student Pinnacle Award - Any bedroom, dining, occasional, home office, textiles, seating, or entertainment category piece selected from the student’s body of work. Visit student guidelines for entry form and more information.

ISFD would like to thank the 2024 Pinnacle Awards sponsors: Platinum level: ANDMORE, Silver level: High Point Market Authority, Bronze level: Continental Hardware, Furniture Design Studios, Lockdowel, and Sherwin-Williams along with Corporate Partner/Industry supplier: Canadian Wood; and Industry partners: Designers Today, Elements Studios, Furniture Today, and IFDA . Also, thanks to International Textile Alliance (ITA) for their continued support.

Submission details can be found at 2024 Pinnacle Awards and 2024 Student Pinnacle Awards. To see last year’s winners please visit 2023 ISFD Pinnacle Award Winners.  Entry deadline is July 26, 2024.