Two Brigham Young University-Idaho students received awards at the National Kitchen & Bath Association/General Electric Student Charette competition last week.

The national winners were announced at the annual Kitchen/Bath Industry Show held in Las Vegas. Kadie Kinney received fifth place nationally, and Olena Steinmetz received an honorable mention.

"These students have demonstrated remarkable expertise in the interior design field," said Wendy Harris, an instructor in the BYU-Idaho Department of Interior Design.

In this competition, students have three hours to draft a solution for a kitchen, given a floor plan and certain requirements. They are judged by a panel of industry professionals, who are searching for kitchen designs that are safe, functional and personalized spaces that incorporate imaginative design statements and aesthetically pleasing solutions.

"We are proud of the time investment these students have made," said Harris. "Participating in competitions demands time, energy and dedication far beyond the required classroom assignments and experiences."

At this show, 20 interior design students and two faculty attended conference sessions, met with the interior design industry's top professionals and even volunteered some of their time to work at the show.

The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) is a non-profit trade association that has educated and led the kitchen and bath industry since 1963. With nearly 40,000 members and growing, the NKBA owns the Kitchen/Bath Industry Show & Conference (K/BIS), the world's largest trade show dedicated to the kitchen and bath industry.

The mission of the NKBA is to enhance member success and excellence, promote professionalism and ethical business practices and provide leadership and direction for the kitchen and bath industry.