It’s down to the wire, now: just a few more days until the big April 1 deadline!

(Though fear not: you technically have until April 17 if you need to get one more photo shoot done. But if you want the best price for your entry fee, submit by April 1!)

New to the awards? Let us introduce you! Western Living‘s Designers of the Year competition is an annual celebration of the best designers in Western Canada. Winners are featured in the September issue of the magazine and online at westernliving.ca, as well on our Instagram and Facebook. And each entry comes with a ticket to our big awards party in September at Inform Interiors—one you won’t want to miss!

Plus, new this year: we’ll be live-announcing the finalists at Thermador in Vancouver on June 17. Every finalist is entered into our 2026 Western Living People’s Choice Awards.

Categories include Architecture, Interior Design, Landscape Design, Furniture Design, Industrial Design and Maker, plus our two emerging categories: the Arthur Erickson Memorial Award for an emerging architect or residential designer, and the Robert Ledingham Memorial award for an emerging interior designer.

Have any questions? Drop us a line at [email protected], and we’re happy to help you through the process.

And now: we’re pleased to introduce the esteemed judging panel for our Furniture Design category!

Enter now!

The 2026 Western Living Designers of the Year Furniture Design Judges

Nancy Bendtsen, Inform

Nancy Bendtsen studied architecture at the École des Beaux Arts in Paris and subsequently at the University of Toronto.

She joined Inform Interiors in 1994 and has owned the business since 2000. Under her leadership, Inform was named one of the top five design stores in the world and received the Altagamma Award, the highest honour given to a design retail showroom.

Nicole Marion, Studio Marion

Nicole Marion is an independent furniture designer and the founder of Studio Marion, based in Winnipeg, Canada. Nicole developed a love for furniture design while earning a Master’s degree in Architecture. Since then, she has held key roles within the product teams of several notable furniture companies, contributing to the design and development of hundreds of products.

In 2018, she established Studio Marion and has since collaborated with several international brands, including NaughtOne, Ruggable and Tuft + Paw, and is a Sessional Instructor at the Faculty of Architecture, University of Manitoba.

Christian Woo

Born in Madrid, Spain (1973) and raised in British Columbia, Canada, Christian Woo is a self-taught designer and craftsman whose work is guided by the tranquility and scale of the Pacific Northwest’s forest landscape. Inspired by his grandfather’s dedication to the art of woodworking, Christian developed an early passion for the craft, leading to the establishment of his studio in 2006.

Rooted in a deep respect for material integrity and traditional craftsmanship, his practice embraces Brutalist design principles, resulting in furniture with refined geometry and simplicity. Christian’s studio maintains an intimate relationship with its furniture throughout the design and fabrication process, ensuring a philosophy centered on timeless, modern design that is beautifully executed. His work has been showcased internationally across North America and Europe. Christian has produced designs for leading brands such as Zanotta and Fisher Paykel.

Ready to enter? Head over to our entry page!