The inaugural Blum Design Awards with The Local Project, celebrate the details that elevate everyday living – from the craftsmanship of joinery to the elegance of movement in design.
As one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-quality fittings for kitchens and furniture, Blum understands the essential importance of the ‘unseen’, the often-hidden elements that support great design.
The Blum Design Awards are free to enter and are open to Australian architects, designers, cabinetmakers, joiners, artisans and craftspeople who have specified Blum in an Australian-based project. All projects that are submitted must have been completed between January 2025 to January 2026.
Across four categories, the awards will celebrate the best in Australian design ingenuity, with the winners announced in March 2026. Each category winner will be the subject of a full video case study captured by The Local Production, which will appear on The Local Project and The Commercial Project’s digital and social channels, valued at more than $25,000.
Showcasing the skill and artistry of bespoke joinery and cabinetry, this award looks to recognise the makers and designers who elevate simple construction to a refined craft. In great joinery, form and function combine, and precision, materiality and detail meet to create a seamless experience.
Honouring clever, purposeful solutions that enhance the function and experience of a space – whether through integrated mechanisms, modular thinking or creative detailing. Showcasing the often-unseen ingenuity within these integrated systems, this award demonstrates how innovation can elevate the everyday. Beyond good looks, integrated hardware and systems contribute to spatial efficiency, resolving complex challenges.
Celebrating the exceptional use and understanding of materials at a micro-level, this award showcases those who are using texture and finish to contribute to the soul of a project. It is these finely considered details that bring depth and tactility to a space. A nuanced approach to materiality not only enhances visual interest, but also speaks to authenticity and longevity.
Casting a spotlight on designs that incorporate movement, this award recognises how form and function work together in adaptable spatial elements and reconfigurable systems. With a considered approach to space being more important than ever, this award acknowledges the importance of craftsmanship that addresses flexibility and innovation without compromising on high-quality design.
The Local Project has a combined social media audience of more than 4.5 million people. Its visually stunning videos – which include home tours, case studies and highly engaging educational pieces with some of the globe’s leading creatives – consistently celebrate the best in architecture and design.
The four winning projects will be showcased in four video case studies, which will be amplified across the The Local Project’s digital and social ecosystem.
Each video campaign is valued at $25,000, but the impact is invaluable – showcasing your firm and work to a highly engaged, design-savvy audience.
The Blum Design Awards are free to enter and are open to Australian-based architects, designers, trades, artisans and makers for projects within Australia featuring Blum products and completed between January 2025 and January 2026.
Tim Ross is a celebrated comedian and passionate advocate for architecture and design.
He has performed his live Man About the House show in significant buildings around the world, as well as at the Venice Biennale and London Festival of Architecture. His ABC-TV series Streets of Your Town and Designing a Legacy, exhibitions – including Design Nation and Motel – prolific publications and guest speaker engagements have made design accessible to a wide, diverse and appreciative audience.
Ross is the recipient of the National Trust Heritage Award for Advocacy regarding Australia’s legacy of modernist architecture and an Australian Institute of Architects National President’s Prize for activism and outstanding contribution to the profession. He was also a National Architecture Awards jury member and is an honorary Institute member.
Rose Onans joined The Local Project in 2017 as a writer and has held roles including Editor, Head of Editorial and, currently, Books Editor. With a grounding in literary studies and philosophy, she brings a deep curiosity about architecture’s conceptual and experiential potential and a strong commitment to storytelling.
In 2019 Onans edited The Local Project’s first print magazine. Launched as a triennial publication featuring the best in Australian residential architecture and design, it quickly grew into a triptych of volumes, The Local Project, The Commercial Project and The Local Marketplace, and expanded to cover New Zealand and North America. In 2022 she oversaw the release of The Local Project’s debut book, 10, celebrating ten issues. Most recently, Rose has focused on The Local Project’s book publishing arm – her latest work, Architects at Home and Designers at Home, is a duo of premium hardcover books showcasing the private worlds of leading architects and designers such as John Wardle, Peter Stutchbury, Adriana Hanna and Tamsin Johnson.
Rose sees her role as not just chronicling beautiful spaces but facilitating a wider conversation about architecture, design and the stories embedded in the places we call home.
With 16 years at Blum, Marshal Cairnduff brings a rare combination of hands on craftsmanship and global product expertise to the Blum Design Awards judging panel.
An apprenticeship-trained carpenter, Cairnduff began his career in the workshop before moving to Blum, giving him a practical understanding of how fittings perform in real projects as well as the commercial insight to assess market suitability.
Leading the product marketing team at Blum Australia, he oversees which Blum solutions best meet local needs and translates technical capabilities into clear customer value. Cairnduff is known for his deep appreciation of innovation, quality and practical application across design, functionality and market relevance.
Recognised for his expertise within Blum on a global level, he champions the company’s commitment to excellence and brings that passion to supporting the industry in delivering outstanding design and functionality to the market.
For award and entry enquiries, email [email protected]
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