Franchise owner Veronica Simmons of Commerce Township, Mich., was named Designer of the Year, the highest design award presented by Decorating Den Interiors, North America’s largest interior design and home furnishings franchise company.
Photo L-R: Jennifer Ward-Woods, Barbara Elliott, Veronica Simmons, Lynne Lawson, Laura Outland
Simmons’ mid-century modern kitchen features cherry cabinetry with sleek slab doors and drawer fronts. An oversized workstation sink with double faucets adds functionality for this busy family. Pocket door cabinetry hides the clutter of kitchen appliances when needed. Quartzite countertops add the perfect touch of texture and drama.
Simmons’ makeover was judged best in category and the overall best of 218 entries in 11 categories by interior design journalists from throughout the U.S. and Canada.
“I was completely caught off guard!” said Simmons. “I’ve had the honor of winning Dream Room several times but getting recognized as Designer of the Year for the first time is really special. We love creating spaces for our clients that aren’t just gorgeous but also function for their lifestyle and this design is a perfect example of that.”
Designer of the Year Runners-Up
The first runner-up was the team of Lynne Lawson and Laura Outland, of Columbia, Md. Their dramatic grand foyer was first in the miscellaneous category and judged second-best overall.
Second Runner-Up was the design team led by sisters Barbara Elliott and Jennifer Ward-Woods, of Stone Mountain, Ga. Their transformation of a primary suite into a serene retreat took third place overall and first in its category.
Other Design Awards
Donayre Award
First-place winner of the Donayre Award, which is voted on by company franchisees and is named for Carol Donayre Bugg, ASID, retired company vice president and director of design, was Sandy Shuster of Denver for the design of a Mexican restaurant.
Second place were Barbara Elliott and Jennifer Ward-Woods for a dining room. Third place was Kiran Arif of Cincinnati, for a reception and office space.
People’s Choice Award
Desiree Kludy of Cooper City, Fla., won first, second and third places in the People’s Choice Award segment, an online judging open to the public. Her bedroom design received the highest number of votes cast. Her outdoor space was second and her bathroom was third.
Patti Award
Kludy’s bathroom also won the Patti Award. Named after Patti Coons, former public relations director who was instrumental in starting the International Dream Room competition. The award is for first-time entries into the competition and is judged by those franchisees who have achieved Decorating Den Certified Decorator status.
Ioana Todorova, of Arlington, Va., won second for her transformation of an attic space into a versatile bedroom for two young boys.
Kludy also won a third-place Patti for her outdoor space.
This was the Decorating Den’s 42nd International Dream Room awards presentation. It was held at the company’s Elevate and Evolve 2026 annual conference in Reno, Nev.
