Winners of the 2026 IWF Design Emphasis student design contest will be announced on Wednesday, Aug. 26, at 10 a.m. in the Design Emphasis Gallery in Hall C of the Georgia World Congress Center. More than $10,000 in prize money will be awarded during a special ceremony on the show floor.

Design Emphasis is for undergraduate students enrolled in an accredited college, university, or technical program offering design, product design, or wood products courses. Sponsored by IWF and its owner, WIA (Wood Industry Association), the competition gives students a platform to showcase their talents to the industry.

Seventy-eight projects were entered in the competition this year, with 14 schools represented. Finalists will be selected in early June, with final judging done at IWF by a panel of industry professionals including manufacturers, media, designers, and furniture buyers.
Cash prizes will be awarded to the best of show ($1,500), as well as winners ($1,000), merit ($500), and honorable mentions ($250) in five categories: 

1. Accent Furniture: includes traditional tables and small accent pieces, coffee tables, lighting, etc.
2. Case Goods: bedroom, dining room, wall systems, and display/storage furniture for residential or business use.
3. Commercial/Hospitality Furniture: designed specifically for use in office, hospitality, health care, college and university markets.
4. Design Creativity: furniture item that expresses uniqueness in design, use of materials, construction technique and/or creative solution to a functional need.
5. Seating: includes upholstered and non-upholstered seating, with style, function, comfort, and stability addressed.

Projects are judged on four criteria: 

1. Design (40%): Originality or improvement of an existing design. Adaptability or interpretation of furniture from other periods. Development/refinement of function, use, and construction issues. Creative use of materials.
2. Manufacturing (20%): Is the design reasonably adaptable or suitable for production methods? Possibilities and ease of packaging for distribution.
3. Marketability (20%): Does the product meet a need of the market for which it is designed? The product must effectively perform the function for which it is designed.
4. Workmanship (20%): Attention to construction and finishing. Design/product execution and craftsmanship must be complete and fully functional.

The finalists’ projects will be on display in the Design Emphasis Gallery throughout IWF.  For more information, visit IWFAtlanta.com.