Design

2026 Furniture Design Competition

   

 

 

 

The competition is established to showcase the work of future furniture designers who are creating pieces from Appalachian and Real American Hardwood species. The entries will be judged on aesthetics, function, manufacturing and details that highlight the hardwood.

Winners will receive a cash prize, and the university will receive a donation to its design program. The pieces will be made available at industry events in 2026.

Appalachian State University

The entry requirements are:

  • Completed Entry Form due by January 31, 2026, and should be emailed along with the final completed entry submission to info@appalachianhardwood.org. The entry form should be saved as a separate PDF from the final project.
  • Completed competition projects are due by April 30, 2026. All projects must have been built in the 2025-2026 school year.
  • Furniture Design competitors will need to attach ideation images, scale drawings, and final renderings in pdf format. The student’s name and school should NOT appear on this file.  Label the PDF file as 2026 AHMI – RAH Student Furniture Design.  All parts of your entry should be saved as one PDF file. 
    Each final entry form should be a separate PDF, but included in the same email as the final project.  IF YOUR ENTRY ARRIVES IN ANY OTHER FORMAT THAN A PDF OR HAS YOUR NAME ON THE ENTRY, IT WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY DISQUALIFIED, AND YOU WILL NOT BE CONTACTED. 

Please include your name and school in the body of the email only.

  • Appalachian State University projects will be judged on May 5, 2026
  • Winners will be announced by June 1, 2026. 1st place winner – $2,500; 2nd place winner – $1,250; 1st place winner’s design school receives $1,000.

 

COMPETITION                                                                                                                                                           

  • A piece of original design that is aesthetically pleasing and can be marketed to the residential and/or contract trade.
  • The majority of construction materials should be either solid hardwood or engineered plywood sourced from the United States. A combination of materials will be acceptable.
  • Piece should be visually stunning, appropriate for manufacturing, fiscally feasible, and suitable within the constraints of mass production.
  • Students need to provide a final built entry project. Provide photographs of the building process for the entry piece.
  • Scaled drawings/mechanical drawings/dimensional drawings are strongly suggested as part of your entry.
  • Submissions should include a Design Brief consisting of a few short paragraphs explaining the design process from your inspiration through the final design.

 

SCHOOL REQUIREMENTS

  • Schools that want their students to enter competition must assign a faculty member to supervise the students.

 

Judges for Furniture Design:

  • Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers, Inc. representative
  • Real American Hardwood representative
  • University furniture design professor
  • ISFD representative
  • Contract furniture industry representative

 

Online Design Entry Form     Download PDF Entry Form    Competition Guidelines

  

Savannah College of Art & Design

The entry requirements are:

  • Completed Entry Form due by March 1, 2026, and should be emailed along with the final completed entry submission to info@appalachianhardwood.org. The entry form should be saved as a separate PDF from the final project.
  • Completed competition projects are due by May 1, 2026. All projects must have been built in the 2025-2026 school year.
  • Furniture Design competitors will need to attach ideation images, scale drawings, and final renderings in pdf format. The student’s name and school should NOT appear on this file.  Label the PDF file as 2026 AHMI – RAH Student Furniture Design.  All parts of your entry should be saved as one PDF file. 
    Each final entry form should be a separate PDF, but included in the same email as the final project.  IF YOUR ENTRY ARRIVES IN ANY OTHER FORMAT THAN A PDF OR HAS YOUR NAME ON THE ENTRY IT WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY DISQUALIFIED AND YOU WILL NOT BE CONTACTED. 

Please include your name and school in the body of the email only.

  • Winners will be announced by June 1, 2026. 1st place winner – $2,500; 2nd place winner – $1,250; 1st place winner’s design school receives $1,000.

 

COMPETITION                                                                                                                                                           

  • A piece of original design that is aesthetically pleasing and can be marketed to the residential and/or contract trade.
  • The majority of construction materials should be either solid hardwood or engineered plywood sourced from the United States. A combination of materials will be acceptable.
  • Piece should be visually stunning, appropriate for manufacturing, fiscally feasible, and suitable within the constraints of mass production.
  • Students need to provide a final built entry project. Provide photographs of the building process for the entry piece.
  • Scaled drawings/mechanical drawings/dimensional drawings are strongly suggested as part of your entry.
  • Submissions should include a Design Brief consisting of a few short paragraphs explaining the design process from your inspiration through the final design.

 

SCHOOL REQUIREMENTS

  • Schools that want their students to enter competition must assign a faculty member to supervise the students.

 

Judges for Furniture Design:

  • Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers, Inc. representative
  • Real American Hardwood representative
  • University furniture design professor
  • ISFD representative
  • Contract furniture industry representative

 

Online Design Entry Form     Download PDF Entry Form    Competition Guidelines

 

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