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Design Awards 2026: The Home Winners That Deserved It
Awards reward renders. We looked at which winners work in a real room.
By Sofia Lindqvist, Design Director · Published August 11, 2026 · 2 min read
Photograph: Marc-Olivier Jodoin / StockSnap
Design awards are decided from photographs and prototypes, which is why so many winners disappoint in a home. We cross-checked this year's home categories against our own testing notes and reader feedback.
The lighting category earned it
Two awarded fittings were also the best performers in our glare and colour-temperature checks — rare alignment between jury and use.
Seating was decided on silhouette
Several awarded chairs measured poorly on seat depth and lumbar support. A striking profile is not a comfort specification.
Kitchen storage was the quiet win
Unglamorous drawer systems with published load ratings and replaceable runners took the categories that matter over a decade.
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