The countdown is on: less than two weeks until our early bird deadline of April 1 (and less than a month to the drop-dead, no-more-chances after April 17)!

It’s time to get your entry together: 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, Landscape Design, Furniture Design, Industrial Design, Maker—and of course, Interior Designer of the Year, 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 Interior Design category!

Enter now!

The 2026 Western Living Designers of the Year Interior Design Judges

Lee Mindel, SheltonMindel

New York-based architect and historian Lee F. Mindel, FAIA and founding member of SheltonMindel is regarded as one of the top American interpreters of classic modernism in the industry today with over 60 industry awards. Guided by principles of light, nature and simplicity, the firm’s designs transcend form and function to become works of art. In 2011, Mindel was awarded the prestigious Cooper Hewitt National Design Award by First Lady Michelle Obama in the White House, and in 2021, was one of the few professionals inducted into the AD100 Hall of Fame for contributions in both categories: architecture and interior design.

In 2022, Mindel created Galerie56. The AIA award-winning space, designed by SheltonMindel, celebrates the intersection of art, architecture, and design with a diverse series of exhibitions featuring international artists, galleries, and movements. Galerie56 reflects the deep American ethos of inclusion and diversity.

 

Sam Sacks, Sam Sacks Design

A former magazine editor and consummate storyteller, Sam believes great design is about capturing the essence of a person, a mood, or a moment and translating it into something we can touch and feel. Her work reflects a deep understanding of her clients’ needs and a fundamental knowledge of architectural history, all backed by wild inspiration.

Now in its third decade, Sam’s eponymous firm regularly tops the top-100 lists and has an established reputation for continuously producing the epitome of cool. Sam has been featured in Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Milleu, Veranda, House Beautiful, LivingEtc, and Rue Magazine. She’s a top100 alumni in House & Home magazine’s annual round-up and was voted by Globe and Mail as one of the top designers in Canada. A mother of three, Sam gets kids, loves decorating for families, and knows how to design around a hairy dog.

 

Matt Davis, DesignAgency

Matt Davis co-founded DesignAgency with partners Allen Chan and Anwar Mekhayech in Toronto in 1998. Matt’s work and industry leadership are informed by his conviction that design offers a powerful opportunity to influence human emotion and behaviour by shaping the environments in which we live, work, rest and play.

He brings a global sensibility to each project and has played an integral role in building DesignAgency’s reputation as a pioneering studio uniting interior design, architectural concepting, strategic branding and visual communication.

Matt’s professional experience spans multiple sectors, including work with leading brands such as Marriott Design Hotels, SBE, and Hilton Hotels. His design portfolio includes projects such as Air Canada Signature Club, The Broadview Hotel, History Toronto, Maple House and Mystic Halifax.