BOSTON -- Wayfair, one of the world's largest online destinations for the home, today announced its fourth annual Tastemaker Awards to celebrate excellence and innovation in design.
This year, entrepreneur and "Shark Tank" investor Barbara Corcoran, Architectural Digest reporter Hadley Keller and hospitality architect Stephen Sousa, will select the top commercial and residential designs submitted by members of Wayfair's business program, Wayfair Professional. The judges will evaluate each design submission based on quality, inspiration and creativity.
The categories for the 2018 Tastemaker Awards include: Design of the Year, Best Residential Space, Best Office Space, Best Hospitality Space and new for this year, Most Innovative Space. For a limited time, Wayfair Professional members based in the U.S. and select provinces in Canada are invited now through March 9 to submit their design projects to the exclusive Design Gallery. One winner will be recognized per category.
"In parallel with Wayfair Professional's vision to help businesses create impactful spaces across every industry and budget, our members are truly creating the finest spaces in commercial and residential design," said Margaret Lawrence, vice president, Wayfair Professional. "Spaces that are fresh and unexpected - yet thoughtful and functional, are key elements that the judges are looking for this year. We are particularly honored to work with industry leaders Barbara, Hadley and Stephen to recognize remarkable design talent and select the 2018 Tastemaker winners."
"When judging this year's Tastemaker entries, I'll be looking for imagination, ingenuity and fresh approaches to the same old problems," said Corcoran. "We'll always have four walls and a ceiling to work with, but you can certainly make them seem like something totally different. My personal favorite is how color is being used in design, especially with accent pieces, as it gives the space a spark of personality."
About the judges:
Barbara Corcoran is an investor on Emmy award winning show, "Shark Tank." As one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the country, Corcoran built The Corcoran Group, New York's largest real estate company. Additionally, Corcoran is a frequent small business and real estate contributor on major networks, and is a best-selling author of, "Shark Tales: How I Turned $1,000 into a Billion Dollar Business!"
Hadley Keller is the digital design reporter for Architectural Digest, and is the editor for AD PRO.
Stephen Sousa is the founder and principal at Sousa Design Architects, an award-winning firm specializing in hospitality. Under Stephen's leadership, Sousa Design Architects has won numerous industry awards for residential, hospitality and retail projects, including "Restaurant Design of the Year"ÂÂÂ for Tiger Mama (Boston, Mass.) by Eater.com and "Top Ten Restaurants in the U.S." by Food & Wine Magazine in 2017 for Waypoint Restaurant (Cambridge, Mass.).
For the first time, the awards celebration will take place in Boston, home to Wayfair's global headquarters. Winners will receive a complimentary one-night stay in the city, where they will have the opportunity to meet with the renowned judges at an intimate dinner and participate in a business leadership workshop. Winning projects will also be featured on Wayfair.com.
To follow the campaign, join the conversation on Instagram @wayfairprofessional, on Facebook at Wayfair Professional and at #WayfairTastemakers. The 2018 Tastemaker awards are sponsored by Stanley Furniture, a design, marketing and overseas sourcing resource in the upscale wood residential market; Mohawk, a global flooring and rug manufacturer; Kimball, a design-centric office furniture manufacturer; and Perigold, an online retail destination for luxury home furnishings and décor.
About the award categories:
- Design of the Year: Overall best designed entry
- Best Residential Space: Best kitchen, outdoor, living room, bedroom, bathroom or any other residential room
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Best Office Space: Best collaboration space, conventional office space, work bar, cafeteria or any other office space
- Best Hospitality Space: Best restaurant, lobby, casino, pool, hotel room or any other hospitality space
- Most Innovative Space: Best commercial, residential or outdoor space that displays an innovative design, ranging from a small space solution to smart use of technology